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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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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 · bowl · pass · branch · ball · object · ground · calf

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. charge — a price
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. ball — a great time
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. charge — in control
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. object — a thing
  12. object — an aim
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. object — to protest
  20. ground — a position
  21. pass — a permit
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bowl — to roll

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