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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: charge · lie · bowl · mate · branch · content · bass · fine

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. charge — in control
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bass — the fish
  5. content — the amount
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. charge — electricity
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. content — happy
  14. bass — low music
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fine — all right
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — to breed
  20. branch — a division
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fine — high quality
  23. charge — a price
  24. fine — a penalty

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