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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: content · plane · board · branch · rush · mouse · kick · snap

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. content — the amount
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. board — to get on
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. rush — hurry
  13. snap — to click
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. board — a committee
  17. plane — a tool
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. content — happy
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. branch — a division
  24. branch — of a bank

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