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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: object · rest · straw · charge · roll · drill · branch · chip

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. rest — what's left
  3. object — to protest
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. roll — a list
  7. charge — in control
  8. roll — a cake
  9. charge — electricity
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. charge — a price
  13. chip — to eat
  14. drill — a practice
  15. object — an aim
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. rest — what's left
  18. chip — for betting
  19. drill — the tool
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. object — a thing
  22. branch — a division
  23. rest — a break
  24. drill — army training

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