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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. hand — in cards
  3. bark — to shout
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. charge — in control
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. fall — to drop
  11. roll — a cake
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. hand — help
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. fall — the season
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. charge — a price
  21. branch — a division
  22. roll — a list
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. pass — to succeed

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