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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. season — of the year
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cap — a lid
  7. saw — the tool
  8. row — to paddle
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. branch — a division
  11. season — in sport
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. cap — a hat
  14. row — a line
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wound — an injury
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. cap — of ice
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wound — an injury
  24. branch — of a bank

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