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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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. racket — for tennis
  4. mark — a trace
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. charge — a price
  9. branch — a division
  10. charge — electricity
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. cue — a signal
  14. charge — in control
  15. cue — for pool
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. cue — a hint
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. dip — to sink
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mark — a grade

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