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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rash · root · ruler · hand · wave · branch · stick · charge

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. branch — a division
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. root — of a plant
  10. hand — help
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. root — of a word
  13. hand — in cards
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. charge — a price
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. root — the cause
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rash — hasty
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rash — a series
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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