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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: lash · branch · staff · spell · track · charge · mate · cell

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. track — to keep track
  4. charge — a price
  5. staff — a stick
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a friend
  8. branch — a division
  9. staff — employees
  10. track — a path
  11. mate — a partner
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. staff — employees
  14. charge — electricity
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cell — in biology
  17. spell — magic
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. spell — a short time
  20. charge — in control
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. track — a song
  24. lash — an eyelash

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