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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 · staff · lean · charge · wake · sharp · firm · branch

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. charge — electricity
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. lean — thin
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. lean — to bend
  11. charge — in control
  12. staff — employees
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. wake — a trail
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — a company
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. sharp — clever
  23. firm — decided
  24. charge — a price

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