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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: branch · rush · row · sharp · band · chip · toast · mug

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. rush — hurry
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mug — to rob
  7. row — a line
  8. chip — to eat
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. branch — a division
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — a face
  15. toast — bread
  16. band — a ring
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. band — a music group
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. chip — for betting
  24. sharp — clever

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