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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: mine · branch · club · mark · can · cap · bass · charge

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. club — for dancing
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. mark — a trace
  6. club — a group
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mark — a grade
  9. charge — in control
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. branch — a division
  12. bass — the fish
  13. cap — a hat
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. can — a tin
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bass — low music
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. charge — electricity
  22. can — a tin
  23. charge — a price
  24. club — for golf

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