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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: vault · branch · wound · patient · mug · squash · rash · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. vault — a safe
  3. mug — a face
  4. squash — to crush
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. charge — a price
  7. mug — to rob
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. squash — the sport
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. charge — electricity
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. mug — a cup
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — an injury
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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