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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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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: drill · branch · game · net · pass · charge · mark · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. 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. bound — tied together
  2. net — for catching
  3. bound — obliged
  4. net — in sport
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. net — after costs
  9. bound — certain
  10. charge — a price
  11. game — a match
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pass — a permit
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — army training
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. drill — the tool
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. game — wild animals
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. charge — electricity
  24. 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