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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: calf · wind · bore · rash · bound · ruler · branch · rush

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rash — a series
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bore — to drill
  11. wind — moving air
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bound — tied together
  14. branch — a division
  15. rash — hasty
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — certain
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. branch — of a bank

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