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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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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: mug · saw · mouse · bulb · pound · branch · charge · mark

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. saw — the tool
  4. charge — in control
  5. mug — a cup
  6. charge — electricity
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. charge — a price
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mark — a trace
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. branch — a division
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mug — a face
  24. pound — a weight

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