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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. branch — a division
  3. fall — the season
  4. season — in sport
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. tube — the underground
  11. charge — a price
  12. season — of the year
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. fall — to drop
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. charge — electricity
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. fall — to drop
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. charge — in control
  24. patient — a sick person

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