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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: press · game · temple · branch · chair · scale · ball · charge

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. chair — a leader
  4. charge — in control
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. branch — a division
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — in music
  10. press — newspapers
  11. ball — a dance
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. game — a match
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. press — a publisher
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. press — to push
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. charge — electricity
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. game — wild animals
  23. ball — a great time
  24. charge — a price

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