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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 120 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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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: charge · ground · firm · branch · cap · can

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. branch — a division
  3. ground — the earth
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. can — a tin
  7. firm — steady
  8. can — to be able to
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. firm — a company
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — a hat
  14. can — a tin
  15. firm — decided
  16. cap — of ice
  17. ground — a position
  18. charge — in control

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