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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. charge — electricity
  3. tube — a container
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. bass — low music
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. present — the time now
  9. charge — in control
  10. pass — a permit
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. roll — a list
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. present — a gift
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. roll — a cake
  20. wax — to grow
  21. present — there
  22. charge — a price
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. branch — a division

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