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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.

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 · face · rash · branch · net · racket · fine · band

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. band — a ring
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. net — after costs
  12. charge — electricity
  13. face — to confront
  14. net — in sport
  15. rash — hasty
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. band — a music group
  18. branch — a division
  19. rash — a series
  20. fine — all right
  21. charge — a price
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. charge — in control
  24. net — for catching

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