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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: pass · pitcher · charge · rash · branch · suit · cold · mine

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cold — not warm
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. charge — a price
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rash — a series
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. mine — for digging
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. pass — a permit
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. charge — in control
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. suit — to fit
  24. branch — a division

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