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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.

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 · rush · field · trunk · temple · bass · spell · branch

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. charge — a price
  5. spell — letters
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. field — for sport
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. branch — a division
  11. field — farmland
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bass — low music
  14. spell — magic
  15. charge — in control
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. spell — a short time
  18. field — a subject
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bass — the fish
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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