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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. court — for sport
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. band — a ring
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. court — of law
  9. branch — a division
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. charge — a price
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. charge — electricity
  15. band — a music group
  16. firm — decided
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. firm — a company
  19. court — of a king
  20. stem — to come from
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. firm — steady

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