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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — music
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. charge — a price
  6. object — a thing
  7. cold — an illness
  8. cold — not warm
  9. bound — certain
  10. dip — to sink
  11. branch — a division
  12. bound — obliged
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — to protest
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. pop — to visit
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bound — tied together

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