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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: game · branch · scale · prune · spell · charge · rash · temple

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. spell — a short time
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. spell — magic
  8. scale — in music
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. spell — letters
  11. rash — a series
  12. game — wild animals
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. rash — hasty
  15. charge — in control
  16. branch — a division
  17. prune — to trim
  18. charge — electricity
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. game — a match
  23. scale — size or range
  24. prune — to trim

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