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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 120 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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. present — the time now
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. present — there
  5. club — for golf
  6. charge — a price
  7. march — music
  8. club — for dancing
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. mug — a face
  11. mark — a trace
  12. charge — electricity
  13. wind — moving air
  14. mug — a cup
  15. club — a group
  16. march — the month
  17. charge — in control
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. march — the month
  20. branch — a division
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mug — to rob
  24. present — a gift

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