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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: present · charge · racket · pass · mark · stock · net · branch

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. stock — shares
  4. charge — a price
  5. net — for catching
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. present — a gift
  8. branch — a division
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. present — the time now
  15. charge — in control
  16. stock — goods
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — after costs
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. present — there
  22. pass — a permit
  23. charge — electricity
  24. branch — of a bank

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