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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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Word bank
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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pop — to visit
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. charge — a price
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. branch — a division
  9. pop — music
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. game — a match
  13. plane — a tool
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — electricity
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. game — wild animals
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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