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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. charge — a price
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. charge — electricity
  8. roll — a list
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. charge — in control
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — wild animals
  14. firm — steady
  15. degree — from a university
  16. firm — a company
  17. degree — temperature
  18. branch — a division
  19. game — a match
  20. firm — decided
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. roll — a cake
  24. degree — an amount

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