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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pass — a permit
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — in football
  5. charge — a price
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pit — in a race
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. charge — electricity
  18. mine — for digging
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pit — a hole
  23. branch — a division
  24. charge — in control

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