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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 120 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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. field — for sport
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. key — for a lock
  6. charge — in control
  7. pound — a weight
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. key — in music
  10. branch — a division
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mine — for digging
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cue — a hint
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. cue — for pool
  17. field — a subject
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. cue — a signal
  22. charge — electricity
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. field — farmland

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