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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: chest · charge · calf · pitch · deal · branch · staff · jam

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. staff — employees
  12. chest — a box
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. chest — of your body
  17. charge — in control
  18. staff — a stick
  19. branch — a division
  20. staff — employees
  21. chest — of your body
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pitch — completely
  24. branch — of a bank

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