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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 · branch · staff · board · saw · club · racket · stand

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. club — for golf
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. saw — the tool
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. branch — a division
  13. board — a committee
  14. club — a group
  15. staff — a stick
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — in control
  20. board — to get on
  21. stand — to bear
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. charge — electricity

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