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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spell · staff · rush · squash · bound · pit · branch · rule

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. branch — a division
  3. rule — government
  4. pit — a hole
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. bound — tied together
  7. staff — employees
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bound — certain
  10. pit — in a race
  11. squash — to crush
  12. rush — hurry
  13. spell — a short time
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. spell — letters
  18. bound — obliged
  19. squash — the sport
  20. staff — employees
  21. spell — magic
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. rule — a law
  24. rush — a thrill

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