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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: charge · racket · pop · temple · mark · ball · branch · bank

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bank — for money
  3. charge — electricity
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bank — for money
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bank — of a river
  9. mark — a trace
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. charge — in control
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. ball — a great time
  16. charge — a price
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pop — to visit
  20. ball — a dance
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — music

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