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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wound — an injury
  5. race — the arms race
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. branch — a division
  9. charge — in control
  10. race — a contest
  11. wound — an injury
  12. present — there
  13. present — the time now
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. present — a gift
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. race — humankind
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — electricity

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