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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 116 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: cap · dip · charge · trunk · pound · branch · degree · pitch

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. cap — a lid
  9. degree — temperature
  10. degree — from a university
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. charge — electricity
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. cap — of ice
  20. pound — a weight
  21. cap — a hat
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. dip — to dunk

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