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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.

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: fine · rush · branch · kick · rest · bound · cue · chest

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. rest — a break
  3. rush — hurry
  4. chest — of your body
  5. cue — a signal
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bound — obliged
  8. fine — high quality
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rest — what's left
  11. kick — in football
  12. chest — a box
  13. rest — what's left
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. fine — all right
  16. cue — for pool
  17. branch — a division
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. cue — a hint
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bound — certain

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