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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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468
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: rest · rush · branch · squash · fork · rash · can · chip

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. squash — the sport
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. branch — a division
  10. squash — to crush
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rash — hasty
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. can — a tin
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rash — a series
  17. rest — what's left
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. can — a tin
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. chip — to eat

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