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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: spell · charge · branch · fan · cap · club · rush · race

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. race — the arms race
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. race — a contest
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. charge — a price
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. branch — a division
  13. cap — of ice
  14. spell — a short time
  15. rush — hurry
  16. club — for golf
  17. charge — in control
  18. club — for dancing
  19. race — humankind
  20. cap — a lid
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cap — a hat

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