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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: pit · scale · stick · perch · suit · temple · branch · charge

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. suit — in cards
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pit — a hole
  8. charge — in control
  9. perch — the fish
  10. charge — a price
  11. suit — clothes
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. scale — in music
  18. branch — a division
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. scale — size or range
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pit — in a race

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