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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. rush — hurry
  3. suit — to fit
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. march — the month
  7. branch — a division
  8. lean — to bend
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. lean — thin
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. march — music
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. row — a line
  18. march — the month
  19. suit — in cards
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — to paddle
  22. pound — a weight
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. suit — clothes

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