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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: charge · branch · roll · cabinet · shower · cue · deal · racket

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. branch — a division
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cue — a hint
  5. charge — a price
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. shower — to wash
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. charge — in control
  11. cue — for pool
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. roll — a list
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cue — a signal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. shower — rain
  22. roll — a cake
  23. deal — to handle
  24. roll — on a roll

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