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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: track · mate · ruler · branch · lash · file · rash · safe

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. mate — a partner
  3. file — a document
  4. mate — a friend
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. rash — a series
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. file — a line of people
  10. track — to keep track
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. track — a song
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. branch — a division
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. track — a path
  20. mate — to breed
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rash — hasty
  24. ruler — for measuring

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