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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: branch · pitcher · lean · fine · charge · mug · mark · deal

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. charge — a price
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. charge — in control
  5. fine — all right
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mug — a face
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. lean — thin
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fine — high quality
  18. charge — electricity
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. mark — a trace
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. branch — a division
  24. mark — a grade

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