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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. charge — electricity
  5. capital — a city
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — a committee
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. board — to get on
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. capital — money
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. charge — a price
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. stand — to bear
  22. charge — in control
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. stand — on your feet

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