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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. charge — a price
  4. rule — government
  5. pop — soda
  6. fall — to drop
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. craft — boats
  9. fall — to drop
  10. branch — a division
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pop — music
  13. craft — a skill
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rule — a law
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. pop — to visit
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. charge — in control
  24. rule — to rule out

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