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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  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. charge — electricity
  2. row — a line
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. charge — in control
  5. row — to paddle
  6. season — in sport
  7. chest — of your body
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. branch — a division
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. chest — a box
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. charge — a price
  20. chest — of your body
  21. pound — a weight
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. season — of the year
  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