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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. branch — a division
  3. charge — in control
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. bulb — for light
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bound — tied together
  10. pass — a permit
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bound — obliged
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. face — to confront
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bound — certain

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