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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. swing — music
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fine — all right
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. branch — a division
  7. fine — high quality
  8. cap — a lid
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. swing — to play on
  11. press — a publisher
  12. cap — of ice
  13. charge — a price
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. swing — in golf
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. press — to push
  18. press — newspapers
  19. file — a document
  20. cap — a hat
  21. file — a tool
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. file — a line of people
  24. charge — in control

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