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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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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: craft · stand · kid · present · branch · charge · mine · pit

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. mine — for digging
  4. craft — boats
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. craft — a skill
  8. kid — child
  9. present — there
  10. present — a gift
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. charge — a price
  14. pit — in a race
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. kid — to tease
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. branch — a division
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pit — a hole
  22. charge — in control
  23. present — the time now
  24. stand — to bear

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