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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: bay · bore · charge · object · dip · branch · rest · cabinet

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bore — to tire
  4. rest — what's left
  5. object — to protest
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. branch — a division
  9. dip — to sink
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bore — to drill
  12. charge — in control
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. rest — a break
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. object — an aim
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. object — a thing
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. dip — a sauce

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