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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: object · hand · charge · clip · branch · mouse · cap · stick

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — to protest
  4. charge — electricity
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. cap — a hat
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. charge — in control
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. object — an aim
  11. cap — a lid
  12. clip — to cut
  13. clip — a video
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. hand — help
  19. cap — of ice
  20. clip — for paper
  21. hand — in cards
  22. charge — a price
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. branch — a division

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