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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: last · row · mouse · object · rush · cap · fine · branch

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. object — to protest
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — a hat
  7. row — to paddle
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. last — final
  10. row — a line
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. object — a thing
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. last — finally
  19. rush — hurry
  20. cap — of ice
  21. fine — high quality
  22. last — to go on
  23. object — an aim
  24. fine — all right

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