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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. swing — music
  3. lean — thin
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. charge — in control
  6. swing — to play on
  7. court — of a king
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fine — high quality
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. court — for sport
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fine — all right
  17. lean — to bend
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — electricity
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. court — of law
  23. swing — in golf
  24. fine — a penalty

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