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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. squash — the sport
  3. band — a music group
  4. squash — to crush
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — a weight
  13. present — the time now
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. present — a gift
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. present — there
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. band — a ring
  24. coach — a trainer

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