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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 116 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. charge — a price
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. press — newspapers
  7. fine — high quality
  8. branch — a division
  9. press — to push
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. wound — an injury
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. fall — the season
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. pass — a permit
  22. press — a publisher
  23. fine — all right
  24. wound — an injury

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