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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: branch · band · file · pit · charge · deal · bound · date

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. band — a ring
  5. band — a music group
  6. charge — a price
  7. file — a line of people
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — in a race
  11. file — a tool
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. charge — electricity
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. bound — tied together
  18. file — a document
  19. date — the fruit
  20. pit — a hole
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — certain
  24. date — on the calendar

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