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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 · staff · fine · spell · march · branch · current · temple

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. spell — magic
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. march — the month
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. current — of water
  10. spell — letters
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. spell — a short time
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. current — happening now
  17. branch — a division
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. current — electric
  23. march — music
  24. march — the month

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