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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. charge — a price
  4. race — a contest
  5. track — to keep track
  6. fine — all right
  7. toast — bread
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. race — humankind
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. race — the arms race
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. present — the time now
  14. branch — a division
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. track — a song
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. charge — in control
  19. track — a path
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. fine — high quality
  23. charge — electricity
  24. present — a gift

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