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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. toast — bread
  3. fine — high quality
  4. charge — electricity
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. file — a line of people
  8. file — a document
  9. vault — a safe
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. fine — all right
  13. mug — to rob
  14. present — there
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. mug — a cup
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. present — the time now
  22. branch — a division
  23. mug — a face
  24. file — a 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