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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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. drill — army training
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stem — to come from
  14. drill — the tool
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — a face
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. branch — a division
  22. drill — a practice
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. mouse — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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