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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. stand — to bear
  11. club — a group
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. club — for golf
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. club — for dancing
  22. branch — a division
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stand — for spectators

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