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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. charge — electricity
  3. scale — in music
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. race — a contest
  7. charge — in control
  8. race — the arms race
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. race — humankind
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. scale — size or range
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. board — a committee
  19. charge — a price
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. board — to get on
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. branch — a division
  24. lash — an eyelash

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