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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 · mate · wake · charge · pit · net · rule · cap

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pit — in a race
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. net — after costs
  6. mate — to breed
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a hat
  9. net — for catching
  10. rule — a law
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. charge — a price
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. mate — a partner
  17. wake — a trail
  18. rule — government
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. branch — a division
  22. net — in sport
  23. mate — a friend
  24. cap — a lid

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