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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — in control
  4. track — a path
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. kid — to tease
  9. track — to keep track
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. tube — the underground
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. kid — child
  20. track — a song
  21. tube — a container
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rash — hasty

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