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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: fan · key · charge · march · mug · mate · staff · branch

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. staff — employees
  3. mug — a cup
  4. key — the most important part
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. staff — a stick
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. march — the month
  11. mug — a face
  12. march — the month
  13. mate — a partner
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. key — for a lock
  16. march — music
  17. charge — a price
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. key — in music
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. staff — employees
  22. mug — to rob
  23. charge — electricity
  24. branch — a division

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