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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bank · charge · snap · branch · fine · march · nail · key

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. key — for a lock
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. march — the month
  9. march — the month
  10. charge — a price
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. key — in music
  13. march — music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. snap — to click
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bank — of a river
  21. charge — in control
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. branch — a division
  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