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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rest · bat · charge · branch · pass · lean · pitch · ground

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pitch — completely
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. ground — crushed
  8. branch — a division
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. ground — the earth
  11. rest — what's left
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — in control
  14. lean — thin
  15. ground — a position
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bat — the animal
  24. rest — a break

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