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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: charge · court · bowl · ruler · bank · branch · fork · trunk

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. branch — a division
  3. court — for sport
  4. bank — for money
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. court — of a king
  9. charge — electricity
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. fork — in a road
  14. charge — in control
  15. bank — of a river
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. charge — a price
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. court — of law

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