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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: branch · degree · hand · pitcher · charge · rush · dip · pitch

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. dip — to sink
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. charge — in control
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. hand — in cards
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. degree — an amount
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rush — hurry
  15. charge — a price
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. degree — temperature
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. charge — electricity
  21. branch — a division
  22. degree — from a university
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. branch — of a bank

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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