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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: branch · march · racket · content · rule · roll · rock · staff

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rock — a stone
  3. roll — a list
  4. staff — employees
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. rock — music
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. roll — a cake
  10. rule — a law
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. content — the amount
  13. march — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. staff — a stick
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rule — government
  19. staff — employees
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. content — happy
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. march — the month

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