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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: branch · bank · season · fall · drill · charge · saw · stem

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. drill — a practice
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. drill — the tool
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — in control
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. stem — to come from
  10. drill — army training
  11. fall — to drop
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. branch — a division
  15. charge — electricity
  16. season — of the year
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bank — for money
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. fall — the season
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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