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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. clip — to cut
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bank — of a river
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bank — for money
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. fall — to drop
  13. charge — in control
  14. fall — the season
  15. branch — a division
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bank — for money
  18. clip — a video
  19. rush — hurry
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. clip — for paper

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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