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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 · press · board · toast · present · branch · track · pound

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. present — there
  3. track — to keep track
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. track — a song
  7. present — a gift
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. charge — a price
  10. press — a publisher
  11. charge — in control
  12. track — a path
  13. toast — bread
  14. press — newspapers
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. press — to push
  17. board — a committee
  18. present — the time now
  19. branch — a division
  20. board — to get on
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. pound — a weight
  23. charge — electricity
  24. toast — the most admired

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