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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: ruler · rush · branch · mate · bear · straw · key · charge

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. key — the most important part
  7. mate — a friend
  8. charge — a price
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mate — a partner
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bear — the animal
  14. branch — a division
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. key — in music
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. charge — in control
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bear — the animal

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