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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: branch · mate · charge · press · nail · pitcher · firm · suit

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — a company
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. suit — to fit
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. suit — clothes
  9. firm — decided
  10. mate — a partner
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. charge — a price
  13. press — newspapers
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mate — to breed
  17. charge — electricity
  18. press — a publisher
  19. charge — in control
  20. press — to push
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a bank

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