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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. can — a tin
  3. charge — a price
  4. can — to be able to
  5. plane — a tool
  6. track — to keep track
  7. mate — a partner
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. track — a path
  12. can — a tin
  13. track — a song
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. mate — a friend
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. charge — electricity
  20. perch — the fish
  21. branch — a division
  22. vault — a safe
  23. charge — in control
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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