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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 120 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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. snap — to click
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. swing — music
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. swing — in golf
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. rule — a law
  10. deal — to handle
  11. rule — government
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. perch — the fish
  14. branch — a division
  15. lean — to bend
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. swing — to play on
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. lean — thin

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