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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. stand — to bear
  4. charge — a price
  5. branch — a division
  6. can — a tin
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. rush — hurry
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. club — for dancing
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. can — to be able to
  16. snap — to click
  17. charge — in control
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — a group
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. charge — electricity
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. fork — in a road
  24. can — a tin

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