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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: firm · cap · fine · branch · rush · can · leaves · pitcher

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. can — a tin
  4. rush — hurry
  5. branch — a division
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — a hat
  9. firm — steady
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. firm — a company
  14. fine — all right
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. firm — decided
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. fine — high quality

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