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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. chip — for betting
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. charge — in control
  8. chip — to eat
  9. branch — a division
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. band — a music group
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. current — electric
  14. charge — electricity
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. band — a ring
  18. current — happening now
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. charge — a price
  22. current — of water
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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