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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: pop · cap · branch · temple · fine · charge · nail · board

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. charge — a price
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. charge — electricity
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pop — soda
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. board — a committee
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pop — to visit
  15. board — to get on
  16. pop — music
  17. fine — all right
  18. charge — in control
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. fine — high quality
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cap — a hat
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. cap — a lid

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