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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.

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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: mug · pass · charge · wound · branch · tube · trunk · degree

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. mug — a cup
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. charge — electricity
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. degree — temperature
  10. mug — to rob
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. pass — a permit
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — the underground
  19. degree — from a university
  20. wound — an injury
  21. degree — an amount
  22. mug — a face
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. charge — a price

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