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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: charge · kid · fine · scale · tube · branch · racket · squash

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. charge — electricity
  8. kid — to tease
  9. charge — a price
  10. tube — a container
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. squash — the sport
  13. branch — a division
  14. fine — high quality
  15. tube — the underground
  16. kid — child
  17. scale — size or range
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. fine — all right
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. charge — in control
  24. tube — in a tire

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