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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: charge · firm · branch · chest · bore · press · pit · toast

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. pit — a hole
  3. toast — bread
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. press — a publisher
  6. chest — of your body
  7. firm — steady
  8. bore — to drill
  9. press — newspapers
  10. pit — in a race
  11. chest — a box
  12. firm — a company
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. firm — decided
  17. bore — to tire
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. branch — a division
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. chest — of your body
  22. charge — in control
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. press — to push

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