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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. cell — in biology
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. wound — an injury
  9. suit — in cards
  10. branch — a division
  11. cell — a phone
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. band — a ring
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. band — a music group
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wound — an injury
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rush — hurry

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