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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: can · charge · fine · arm · club · band · branch · saw

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. saw — the tool
  4. charge — a price
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. club — for golf
  7. fine — high quality
  8. band — a ring
  9. can — to be able to
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. saw — the tool
  12. can — a tin
  13. club — for dancing
  14. fine — all right
  15. club — a group
  16. charge — electricity
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. can — a tin
  19. charge — in control
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. band — a music group
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. branch — of a bank
  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