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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.

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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: branch · rush · ruler · fine · bank · content · chest · mate

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mate — a friend
  3. chest — of your body
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. mate — to breed
  6. content — the amount
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bank — for money
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. branch — a division
  12. mate — a partner
  13. fine — high quality
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rush — hurry
  16. chest — a box
  17. bank — for money
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chest — of your body
  20. fine — all right
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — happy
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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