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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  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. squash — to crush
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. branch — a division
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. charge — a price
  6. ball — a great time
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. squash — the sport
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. charge — electricity
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. ball — a dance
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pass — a permit
  23. chair — a leader
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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