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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. rash — a series
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. mate — a partner
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rash — hasty
  7. net — in sport
  8. rush — hurry
  9. mate — a friend
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. branch — a division
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bear — the animal
  17. net — after costs
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fine — all right
  21. net — for catching
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rush — to hurry

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