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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · ruler · trunk · wind · key · branch · can · mouse

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. wind — moving air
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. can — a tin
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. wind — moving air
  10. can — a tin
  11. rash — a series
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rash — hasty
  15. branch — a division
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. can — to be able to
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. branch — of a bank
  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