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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — a price
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. fine — all right
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. mate — to breed
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bore — to drill
  12. plane — a tool
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bore — to tire
  15. root — of a word
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mate — a partner
  19. fine — high quality
  20. charge — electricity
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. root — the cause
  23. branch — a division
  24. root — of a plant

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