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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 116 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: can · field · ruler · rest · branch · suit · mark · stick

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mark — a trace
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. can — a tin
  5. rest — what's left
  6. branch — a division
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. field — a subject
  9. rest — what's left
  10. field — farmland
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. suit — to fit
  14. field — for sport
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rest — a break
  17. mark — a grade
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. suit — in cards
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. can — a tin

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