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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.

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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: rest · stick · branch · rush · mark · band · wake · deal

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rest — a break
  3. mark — a trace
  4. deal — to handle
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. band — a music group
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. band — a ring
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. wake — a trail
  13. rest — what's left
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. branch — a division
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mark — a grade
  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