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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: temple · charge · bark · object · branch · fall · chair · patient

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. object — an aim
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. branch — a division
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. chair — a leader
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. charge — electricity
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — a thing
  12. bark — to shout
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. charge — in control
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. fall — to drop
  24. charge — a price

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