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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. net — after costs
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. net — in sport
  7. pitch — completely
  8. charge — electricity
  9. present — the time now
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. stem — to come from
  12. sharp — clever
  13. present — a gift
  14. charge — a price
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. present — there
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. branch — a division
  22. charge — in control
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. net — for catching

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