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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 120 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 · mate · lean · pass · safe · season · charge · board

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. lean — to bend
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. mate — to breed
  5. branch — a division
  6. pass — a permit
  7. board — to get on
  8. season — of the year
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. season — in sport
  19. lean — thin
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. board — a committee
  24. branch — of a bank

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