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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 120 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 · track · craft · bulb · rule · march · dip

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rule — a law
  3. craft — a skill
  4. march — the month
  5. rule — government
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. march — the month
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. dip — to sink
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a song
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. march — music
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. track — a path
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. craft — boats
  22. branch — a division
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bulb — for light

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