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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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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pass — a permit
  7. mark — a grade
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. chip — for betting
  19. perch — the fish
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. branch — a division
  22. pound — a weight
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. mouse — 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