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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 · chest · charge · row · lean · chip · firm · rush

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. chest — a box
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. firm — decided
  6. lean — thin
  7. chip — to eat
  8. charge — in control
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. firm — a company
  11. row — a line
  12. charge — a price
  13. chest — of your body
  14. branch — a division
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. rush — hurry
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. chest — of your body
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. firm — steady
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. charge — electricity
  24. lean — to bend

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