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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: bowl · branch · pitch · hand · charge · safe · bulb · mug

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. hand — help
  5. charge — a price
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pitch — completely
  16. branch — a division
  17. mug — a face
  18. charge — in control
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. mug — to rob
  22. hand — in cards
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bulb — for light

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