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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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. tube — a container
  5. saw — the tool
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. branch — a division
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — in cards
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. saw — the tool
  14. last — finally
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. last — final
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. last — to go on
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. hand — help
  24. ruler — for measuring

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