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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: branch · board · shower · charge · roll · drill · suit · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. suit — to fit
  3. bank — for money
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bank — of a river
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. suit — in cards
  9. roll — a list
  10. drill — army training
  11. board — a committee
  12. drill — the tool
  13. shower — to wash
  14. branch — a division
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. board — to get on
  21. drill — a practice
  22. charge — electricity
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. roll — a cake

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