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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: charge · firm · branch · court · jam · current · mine · vault

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — a division
  3. current — of water
  4. charge — electricity
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. charge — a price
  8. current — electric
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. court — of law
  13. current — happening now
  14. firm — steady
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. vault — a safe
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. charge — in control
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — decided
  22. court — for sport
  23. mine — for digging
  24. court — of a king

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