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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: pitch · branch · charge · tear · content · roll · jam · mug

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — a cake
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mug — to rob
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. branch — a division
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. tear — to rip
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. pitch — completely
  13. charge — in control
  14. tear — from crying
  15. content — the amount
  16. charge — a price
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. content — happy
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. tear — from crying
  24. mug — a face

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