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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: mouse · charge · branch · arm · rush · trunk · rash · court

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. rush — hurry
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. court — for sport
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. charge — electricity
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — of law
  12. charge — a price
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. charge — in control
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — a series
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. arm — part of the body

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