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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 116 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: branch · squash · tube · rush · leaves · ground · firm · hide

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. ground — a position
  5. tube — the underground
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. rush — hurry
  8. ground — crushed
  9. firm — a company
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. squash — to crush
  12. firm — steady
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. ground — the earth
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. branch — a division
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. tube — a container
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. firm — decided
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. squash — the sport
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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