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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. band — a music group
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. row — to paddle
  11. firm — a company
  12. row — a line
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. firm — decided
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. firm — steady
  17. wake — a trail
  18. toast — bread
  19. branch — a division
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. band — a ring
  24. row — a quarrel

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