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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 120 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: key · mouse · wake · charge · board · fine · mine · branch

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. fine — all right
  5. board — to get on
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — a trail
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — a committee
  11. charge — in control
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. charge — a price
  14. key — for a lock
  15. charge — electricity
  16. fine — high quality
  17. key — the most important part
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. branch — a division
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mine — for digging
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. branch — of a tree

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