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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: lean · cabinet · pitcher · rush · hand · branch · bound · can

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. hand — in cards
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bound — tied together
  5. branch — a division
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. can — a tin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. can — a tin
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bound — certain
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bound — obliged
  23. hand — help
  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