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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. branch — a division
  3. bark — to shout
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bass — low music
  6. ball — a dance
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bank — for money
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bank — for money
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bass — the fish
  23. pitch — completely
  24. ball — a great time

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