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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. firm — steady
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. firm — decided
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. staff — employees
  11. hand — help
  12. fork — in a road
  13. roll — a list
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. staff — a stick
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. roll — a cake
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. staff — employees
  20. firm — a company
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. hand — in cards
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. bowl — a football final

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