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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. branch — a division
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. march — the month
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. charge — in control
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mug — a face
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. rush — hurry
  12. charge — electricity
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. key — in music
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. race — the arms race
  18. mug — a cup
  19. charge — a price
  20. mug — to rob
  21. race — humankind
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. branch — of a tree

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