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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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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: branch · dip · firm · season · pit · tube · lie · charge

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. firm — steady
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. lie — to recline
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. season — of the year
  9. pit — in a race
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. tube — the underground
  12. charge — electricity
  13. firm — decided
  14. charge — in control
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. season — in sport
  17. firm — a company
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. dip — to sink
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pit — a hole
  22. charge — a price
  23. tube — a container
  24. dip — a sauce

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