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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. face — to point toward
  5. tube — a container
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. charge — a price
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. tube — the underground
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. present — a gift
  15. bat — the animal
  16. charge — electricity
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. present — there
  19. face — to confront
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. present — the time now
  22. branch — a division
  23. face — part of the head
  24. perch — the fish

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