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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 116 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. scale — in music
  4. branch — a division
  5. root — the cause
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. scale — size or range
  8. rock — music
  9. track — to keep track
  10. cell — a phone
  11. track — a path
  12. rock — a stone
  13. cell — in biology
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. root — of a plant
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. root — of a word
  20. track — a song
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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