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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. court — of law
  3. staff — employees
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. staff — a stick
  6. court — for sport
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bass — the fish
  9. firm — decided
  10. face — part of the head
  11. branch — a division
  12. firm — steady
  13. mate — a friend
  14. face — to point toward
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. firm — a company
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. face — to confront
  21. staff — employees
  22. court — of a king
  23. mate — a partner
  24. branch — of a tree

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