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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 120 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
468
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: bear · net · pitch · rule · branch · plane · cue · charge

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. cue — for pool
  4. net — in sport
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. charge — a price
  10. bear — the animal
  11. charge — electricity
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. branch — a division
  15. plane — a tool
  16. net — for catching
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. net — after costs
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. charge — in control

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