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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 116 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: rush · mouse · kick · deal · swing · branch · can · tear

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. branch — a division
  5. tear — from crying
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. can — a tin
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — music
  13. tear — to rip
  14. kick — in football
  15. deal — to handle
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — hurry
  18. can — a tin
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. can — to be able to
  23. swing — in golf
  24. tear — from crying

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