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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: saw · staff · kick · rest · charge · ground · drill · branch

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. ground — the earth
  3. saw — the tool
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rest — what's left
  6. drill — the tool
  7. ground — a position
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. staff — employees
  10. charge — a price
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. ground — crushed
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. drill — a practice
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. kick — in football
  21. charge — in control
  22. drill — army training
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — a break

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