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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.

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 · lean · snap · spring · mark · rock · charge · cold

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. spring — a coil
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. charge — in control
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. snap — to click
  7. spring — of water
  8. rock — a stone
  9. charge — electricity
  10. lean — to bend
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. cold — an illness
  14. mark — a trace
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. mark — a grade
  17. spring — the season
  18. cold — not warm
  19. charge — a price
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lean — thin
  24. rock — music

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