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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. hand — in cards
  3. charge — a price
  4. land — ground
  5. charge — electricity
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. branch — a division
  8. land — a country
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. land — to come down
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. scale — in music
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. craft — boats
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. hand — help
  22. craft — a skill
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. craft — a handicraft

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