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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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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: branch · press · shower · charge · mark · stick · scale · fan

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. mark — a grade
  3. press — newspapers
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. branch — a division
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. press — to push
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. charge — a price
  16. press — a publisher
  17. charge — in control
  18. scale — size or range
  19. shower — rain
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. shower — to wash
  23. mark — a trace
  24. scale — in music

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