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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: snap · charge · content · branch · stand · pass · foot · sharp

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. stand — to bear
  12. charge — electricity
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — a division
  15. content — happy
  16. pass — a permit
  17. snap — to click
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. charge — a price
  21. content — the amount
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. sharp — clever
  24. foot — a measure

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