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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: charge · cell · bass · cue · bay · can · pit · branch

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. can — to be able to
  9. cell — in biology
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. branch — a division
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — a signal
  19. charge — a price
  20. bass — the fish
  21. charge — in control
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. cue — for pool
  24. branch — of a tree

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