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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. last — finally
  4. branch — a division
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. charge — a price
  10. last — final
  11. cold — not warm
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. present — a gift
  14. ball — a dance
  15. present — the time now
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. last — to go on
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. cold — an illness
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. present — there
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ball — a great time

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