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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pop — to visit
  3. branch — a division
  4. bound — tied together
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bound — obliged
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bound — certain
  14. pop — soda
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pop — music
  18. pitcher — in baseball

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