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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. net — after costs
  5. bass — low music
  6. charge — electricity
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. toast — bread
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. mark — a trace
  16. tube — a container
  17. net — in sport
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. charge — a price
  20. mark — a grade
  21. stand — to bear
  22. net — for catching
  23. branch — a division
  24. bass — 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