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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: can · content · land · kick · rush · coach · branch · mouse

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. can — a tin
  3. land — ground
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. can — to be able to
  6. land — to come down
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. content — the amount
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. can — a tin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. branch — a division
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. rush — hurry
  20. land — a country
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. content — happy

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