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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. file — a line of people
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. court — of a king
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. court — for sport
  10. charge — in control
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. charge — electricity
  17. file — a document
  18. mark — a grade
  19. file — a tool
  20. charge — a price
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. branch — a division
  23. court — of law
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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