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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. charge — electricity
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. cue — a hint
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. land — to come down
  11. charge — a price
  12. cue — for pool
  13. charge — in control
  14. kid — child
  15. land — ground
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. kid — to tease
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. branch — a division
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cabinet — ministers

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