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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bound — certain
  6. charge — in control
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. bound — obliged
  10. capital — money
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bound — tied together
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. chair — a leader
  16. branch — a division
  17. pitch — completely
  18. charge — a price
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. charge — electricity
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. capital — a city
  24. safe — out of danger

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