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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. charge — in control
  3. branch — a division
  4. rush — hurry
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. saw — the tool
  16. game — wild animals
  17. charge — electricity
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. charge — a price
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. saw — the tool

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