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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. kick — in football
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. charge — electricity
  6. cell — in biology
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. wind — moving air
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. charge — a price
  16. suit — to fit
  17. branch — a division
  18. charge — in control
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rule — government
  21. wind — moving air
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. rule — a law
  24. cell — a phone

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