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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.

Make a worksheet

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: wave · charge · march · last · squash · branch · pit · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. last — finally
  4. charge — a price
  5. squash — to crush
  6. pit — a hole
  7. march — the month
  8. pit — in a race
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. last — final
  11. branch — a division
  12. charge — in control
  13. march — the month
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. rock — music
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. march — music
  18. squash — the sport
  19. last — to go on
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. charge — electricity
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. rock — to move gently

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