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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 120 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: dip · rest · fall · rush · branch · deal · pass · trunk

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. rest — a break
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. fall — the season
  10. dip — to sink
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rest — what's left
  15. deal — to handle
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rest — what's left
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. fall — to drop
  24. deal — a big deal

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