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

Word bank: branch · rush · ruler · tube · swing · bore · coach · face

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. face — to confront
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. branch — a division
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bore — to tire
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. swing — to play on
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bore — to drill
  17. tube — the underground
  18. swing — in golf
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. face — to point toward
  21. tube — a container
  22. rush — hurry
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. swing — music

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