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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. last — to go on
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. plane — a tool
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. squash — the sport
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. last — final
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pitch — completely
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. last — finally
  21. squash — to crush
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — music
  24. pitch — a sports field

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