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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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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: snap · rest · coach · branch · present · rule · mug · wound

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. mug — a cup
  6. rule — government
  7. rest — a break
  8. snap — to click
  9. mug — to rob
  10. present — there
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. wound — an injury
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mug — a face
  18. present — a gift
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. rule — a law
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. present — the time now
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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