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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 116 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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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: kick · file · charge · kid · bank · trunk · branch · pass

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bank — for money
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pass — a permit
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. kid — child
  8. bank — for money
  9. kick — in football
  10. file — a line of people
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. branch — a division
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bank — of a river
  15. file — a tool
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. file — a document
  18. kid — to tease
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — in control
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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