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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: content · branch · race · bulb · fine · rush · charge · cold

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. branch — a division
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. fine — high quality
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. race — humankind
  12. cold — an illness
  13. race — the arms race
  14. content — the amount
  15. charge — a price
  16. content — happy
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. cold — not warm
  22. bulb — for light
  23. race — a contest
  24. fine — all right

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