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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: face · ruler · rush · can · wave · row · bound · branch

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. rush — hurry
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bound — tied together
  11. can — a tin
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. face — to point toward
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. row — a line
  17. bound — obliged
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bound — certain
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. face — to confront

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