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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. charge — in control
  4. key — the most important part
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. branch — a division
  8. charge — electricity
  9. key — in music
  10. pop — music
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pop — soda
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rush — hurry
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. charge — a price
  24. temple — a place of worship

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