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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: plane · jam · branch · charge · game · capital · pit · pass

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. capital — a city
  3. game — wild animals
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pass — a permit
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pit — a hole
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. plane — a tool
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. charge — a price
  17. pit — in a race
  18. capital — money
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. charge — in control
  22. game — a match
  23. branch — a division
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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