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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: file · pop · pass · bark · branch · temple · charge · wake

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pass — a permit
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. branch — a division
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. charge — in control
  13. file — a document
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pop — to visit
  17. file — a tool
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. charge — a price
  22. file — a line of people
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — music

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