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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. field — farmland
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. branch — a division
  8. degree — temperature
  9. object — an aim
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. charge — electricity
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. field — a subject
  14. degree — from a university
  15. can — to be able to
  16. object — a thing
  17. field — for sport
  18. degree — an amount
  19. can — a tin
  20. charge — in control
  21. can — a tin
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. object — to protest
  24. safe — a strongbox

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com