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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 116 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. charge — electricity
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. pop — soda
  5. mate — a friend
  6. pop — to visit
  7. degree — an amount
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mark — a trace
  10. degree — temperature
  11. fork — in a road
  12. degree — from a university
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. charge — a price
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mark — a grade
  19. charge — in control
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mate — a partner
  23. branch — a division
  24. mate — to breed

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