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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: pass · charge · branch · deal · roll · pitcher · ground · board

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — a cake
  3. charge — in control
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. branch — a division
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. ground — crushed
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. charge — a price
  10. ground — a position
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. board — to get on
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. deal — to handle
  21. board — a committee
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. ground — the earth

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