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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. firm — steady
  3. branch — a division
  4. stand — to bear
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. firm — a company
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. content — happy
  12. charge — electricity
  13. firm — decided
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. charge — a price
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. mate — a partner
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. content — the amount
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — to breed

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