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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. bound — obliged
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. can — a tin
  6. bound — tied together
  7. pound — a weight
  8. charge — a price
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bound — certain
  13. can — a tin
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. charge — in control
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. can — to be able to
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. dip — to sink
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. charge — electricity
  24. leaves — lets stay

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