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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: rush · mark · tube · date · pitcher · ball · press · branch

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. tube — the underground
  3. mark — a trace
  4. press — newspapers
  5. ball — a great time
  6. date — the fruit
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. press — a publisher
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. ball — a dance
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. branch — a division
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. press — to push
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. tube — a container
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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