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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 116 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: branch · stick · charge · pass · calf · scale · band · staff

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. staff — a stick
  3. band — a music group
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. charge — electricity
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. staff — employees
  12. pass — a permit
  13. band — a ring
  14. charge — in control
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. scale — in music
  18. charge — a price
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. scale — size or range
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. staff — employees

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