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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
468
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 · plane · present · charge · leaves · stick · sharp · rule

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. charge — in control
  5. present — there
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. sharp — clever
  8. rule — government
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. present — a gift
  12. charge — a price
  13. branch — a division
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. charge — electricity
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. present — the time now

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