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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
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: rule · last · branch · fall · mouse · current · racket · charge

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. current — electric
  3. charge — in control
  4. fall — to drop
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. branch — a division
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. last — final
  11. fall — to drop
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fall — the season
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. charge — electricity
  17. current — of water
  18. last — to go on
  19. rule — government
  20. current — happening now
  21. charge — a price
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. last — finally
  24. branch — of a tree

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