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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: charge · coach · arm · dip · spell · branch · pitcher · safe

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. charge — in control
  8. spell — letters
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. spell — magic
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. dip — to sink
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. branch — a division
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. spell — a short time
  24. arm — part of the body

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