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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mate · charge · cue · branch · lean · bowl · clip · mouse

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. lean — thin
  2. cue — a hint
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. charge — electricity
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lean — to bend
  8. charge — a price
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. branch — a division
  12. clip — a video
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. clip — for paper
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mate — a partner
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. clip — to cut
  22. cue — for pool
  23. charge — in control
  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