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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 · charge · jam · file · lean · roll · date · present

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a tool
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. charge — in control
  8. present — there
  9. file — a document
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. charge — a price
  12. lean — thin
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. present — the time now
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. charge — electricity
  17. roll — a cake
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. roll — a list
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — the fruit
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. lean — to bend
  24. present — a gift

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