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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: file · pitch · object · ruler · spring · rush · branch · bark

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. spring — of water
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. spring — a coil
  7. object — an aim
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. file — a tool
  10. branch — a division
  11. file — a document
  12. rush — hurry
  13. file — a line of people
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. object — a thing
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. spring — the season
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bark — to shout
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. object — to protest

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