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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: stand · capital · deal · charge · dip · roll · lean · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. capital — money
  4. capital — a city
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. roll — a list
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — thin
  11. branch — a division
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. charge — a price
  16. roll — a cake
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — to sink
  21. deal — to handle
  22. stand — to bear
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — electricity

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