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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 cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. branch — a division
  3. charge — electricity
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. charge — in control
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. can — a tin
  9. root — of a plant
  10. land — to come down
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. can — a tin
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. last — final
  16. last — finally
  17. land — a country
  18. last — to go on
  19. charge — a price
  20. land — ground
  21. root — of a word
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. root — the cause
  24. racket — for tennis

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