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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: present · charge · scale · dip · tube · bark · branch · fall

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fall — to drop
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bark — to shout
  7. charge — a price
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. tube — the underground
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. charge — in control
  13. branch — a division
  14. scale — size or range
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. tube — a container
  17. scale — in music
  18. present — there
  19. fall — the season
  20. present — the time now
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. present — a gift

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