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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. charge — electricity
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rash — hasty
  6. march — the month
  7. branch — a division
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. march — the month
  10. pop — to visit
  11. charge — a price
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pop — soda
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. march — music
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pop — music
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. charge — in control
  24. deal — an agreement

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