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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 124 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: press · rash · mug · charge · branch · coach · rule · drill

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. mug — a face
  3. rash — a series
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. drill — a practice
  7. rule — a law
  8. drill — army training
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. mug — a cup
  11. charge — in control
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. charge — electricity
  15. drill — the tool
  16. rule — government
  17. press — a publisher
  18. charge — a price
  19. press — to push
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. press — newspapers
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. mug — to rob
  24. coach — a trainer

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