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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: sharp · bound · branch · ruler · rush · lie · last · pit

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. rush — hurry
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bound — tied together
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. last — finally
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. branch — a division
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bound — obliged
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bound — certain
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. lie — to recline
  19. last — final
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. sharp — clever
  22. last — to go on
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lie — an untruth

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