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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. stock — goods
  3. charge — a price
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. kick — in football
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. charge — electricity
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. sharp — clever
  18. branch — a division
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. charge — in control
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. stand — to bear
  24. branch — of a tree

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