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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. branch — a division
  9. suit — in cards
  10. band — a ring
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. suit — to fit
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. suit — clothes
  23. band — a music group
  24. pound — a weight

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