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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: coach · safe · cell · rule · pitcher · branch · rush · cap

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. cell — in biology
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cell — a phone
  10. cap — a hat
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — a law
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rush — hurry
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. cap — a lid
  24. branch — of a tree

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