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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bat — the animal
  4. staff — employees
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. staff — a stick
  7. charge — in control
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. staff — employees
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. charge — a price
  13. cue — for pool
  14. stock — goods
  15. branch — a division
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. lean — to bend
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. lean — thin
  23. stock — shares
  24. branch — of a tree

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