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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.

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: pound · pitcher · charge · lean · mark · branch · pit · stand

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — to bear
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. pit — a hole
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. lean — thin
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. lean — to bend
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. charge — a price
  19. pit — in a race
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mark — a trace
  22. charge — in control
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pitcher — a jug

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