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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: band · charge · mine · bank · bark · arm · track · scale

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a music group
  4. bark — to shout
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. charge — in control
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. track — to keep track
  9. band — a ring
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bank — of a river
  12. mine — for digging
  13. scale — in music
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. bank — for money
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. scale — size or range
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. bank — for money

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