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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: season · cell · bank · mate · charge · band · nail · squash

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bank — of a river
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bank — for money
  5. season — in sport
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. squash — the sport
  8. cell — in biology
  9. mate — a partner
  10. squash — to crush
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mate — to breed
  13. season — of the year
  14. band — a music group
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. charge — a price
  17. bank — for money
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. mate — a friend
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. charge — in control
  22. cell — a phone
  23. band — a ring
  24. charge — electricity

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