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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 116 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: stand · rule · charge · track · branch · face · pitch · rock

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. rule — a law
  3. face — to point toward
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rule — government
  7. track — a path
  8. branch — a division
  9. rock — a stone
  10. face — to confront
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. face — part of the head
  13. pitch — completely
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. charge — in control
  16. track — a song
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — music
  21. track — to keep track
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. stand — on your feet

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