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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. charge — in control
  4. content — the amount
  5. bark — to shout
  6. charge — a price
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. charge — electricity
  9. lean — thin
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — ground
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. pitch — completely
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. branch — a division
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. scale — in music
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. land — a country
  22. scale — size or range
  23. lean — to bend
  24. content — happy

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