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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. mug — a face
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. snap — to click
  9. last — finally
  10. mug — a cup
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. branch — a division
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. last — to go on
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. mug — to rob
  22. last — final
  23. rush — to hurry
  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