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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: current · charge · date · net · wound · ball · key · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. charge — in control
  4. net — for catching
  5. current — of water
  6. key — the most important part
  7. net — after costs
  8. current — happening now
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. ball — a dance
  11. key — in music
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. charge — a price
  14. branch — a division
  15. key — for a lock
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. current — electric
  18. ball — a great time
  19. date — the fruit
  20. net — in sport
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — an injury
  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