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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: chip · branch · rush · stick · track · can · bark · ruler

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rush — hurry
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. chip — to eat
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. can — to be able to
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bark — to shout
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. can — a tin
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — for betting
  23. track — a song
  24. ruler — for measuring

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