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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: bank · tear · branch · temple · coach · rest · rush · tube

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. tube — a container
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tube — the underground
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bank — for money
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bank — for money
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. branch — a division
  20. bank — of a river
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. temple — side of the head

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