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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. staff — employees
  3. object — to protest
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wound — an injury
  10. object — a thing
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. branch — a division
  14. wound — an injury
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. object — an aim
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wax — to grow
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bowl — to roll

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