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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.

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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: suit · chest · press · charge · spell · branch · drill · temple

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. spell — a short time
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — a price
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. spell — magic
  7. branch — a division
  8. charge — electricity
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. drill — the tool
  12. chest — of your body
  13. spell — letters
  14. suit — in cards
  15. chest — of your body
  16. press — to push
  17. suit — clothes
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. chest — a box
  20. press — a publisher
  21. drill — a practice
  22. suit — to fit
  23. drill — army training
  24. temple — a place of worship

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