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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 116 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. club — for dancing
  5. charge — a price
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. branch — a division
  9. lie — to recline
  10. club — for golf
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — in music
  14. charge — electricity
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. degree — temperature
  19. club — a group
  20. chip — for betting
  21. degree — an amount
  22. degree — from a university
  23. chip — to eat
  24. charge — in control

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