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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. court — for sport
  3. charge — in control
  4. last — finally
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — happy
  9. cue — for pool
  10. court — of law
  11. last — to go on
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. charge — a price
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — of a word
  16. root — the cause
  17. lie — to recline
  18. charge — electricity
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. court — of a king
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. cue — a signal
  23. last — final
  24. cue — a hint

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