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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
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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: bank · roll · branch · band · cell · key · charge · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bank — for money
  3. branch — a division
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. roll — a cake
  6. charge — electricity
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bank — of a river
  11. roll — a list
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bank — for money
  14. key — the most important part
  15. cell — a phone
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. cell — in biology
  18. charge — a price
  19. band — a ring
  20. key — in music
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. charge — in control
  23. band — a music group
  24. roll — on a roll

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