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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. file — a document
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. saw — the tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. roll — a cake
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a face
  11. cue — for pool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. track — a path
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. track — a song
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. roll — a list
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. track — to keep track
  22. cue — a signal
  23. branch — a division
  24. file — a tool

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