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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: cue · jam · branch · wave · charge · fall · present · ruler

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. fall — to drop
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fall — the season
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — there
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. cue — a hint
  17. fall — to drop
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cue — for pool
  20. branch — a division
  21. charge — a price
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. jam — in traffic

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