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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rock · branch · rest · rule · fine · calf · trunk · net

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — for catching
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. branch — a division
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fine — all right
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. rock — music
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. net — in sport
  24. fine — high quality

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