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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: branch · drill · mine · rule · rush · board · ground · can

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. ground — the earth
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. ground — a position
  8. can — a tin
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. board — a committee
  12. rule — government
  13. can — to be able to
  14. ground — crushed
  15. drill — a practice
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. board — to get on
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. can — a tin
  20. rule — a law
  21. drill — the tool
  22. rush — hurry
  23. branch — a division
  24. drill — army training

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