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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. rush — hurry
  5. charge — a price
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. hand — help
  8. charge — in control
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stand — to bear
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. branch — a division
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. chair — a leader
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. hand — in cards
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. prune — to trim

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