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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.

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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: mark · ruler · drill · branch · pass · chest · kick · pop

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. pop — soda
  4. chest — of your body
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — to visit
  7. mark — a grade
  8. drill — army training
  9. kick — in football
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. chest — of your body
  13. mark — a trace
  14. drill — the tool
  15. chest — a box
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. drill — a practice
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. branch — a division
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. kick — 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