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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: bound · sharp · bank · lean · charge · branch · tube · pit

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. tube — a container
  3. charge — a price
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bound — tied together
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bank — of a river
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. bound — certain
  11. lean — thin
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bank — for money
  15. sharp — clever
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. branch — a division
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bank — for money
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — in control

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