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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: racket · mug · vault · rush · branch · rash · prune · board

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. branch — a division
  7. vault — a safe
  8. prune — to trim
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rush — hurry
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. board — to get on
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. board — a committee
  19. rash — a series
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mug — to rob
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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