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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: deal · rush · branch · file · foot · mate · cell · snap

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. file — a line of people
  3. file — a document
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. file — a tool
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cell — a phone
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to click
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. rush — hurry
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mate — a friend
  21. branch — a division
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. cell — in biology
  24. foot — the bottom

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