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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. charge — a price
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. present — a gift
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bulb — for light
  8. shower — to wash
  9. present — there
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. row — a line
  15. bank — for money
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. branch — a division
  20. present — the time now
  21. shower — rain
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. charge — in control
  24. bank — for money

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