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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: branch · row · calf · bark · stand · drill · charge · can

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. row — a line
  3. drill — a practice
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stand — to bear
  6. drill — the tool
  7. can — a tin
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. charge — in control
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. drill — army training
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. bark — to shout
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. charge — a price
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. row — to paddle
  24. branch — a division

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