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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kid · pop · scale · branch · object · mouse · lie · key

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. branch — a division
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. pop — soda
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pop — music
  9. scale — size or range
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. kid — to tease
  12. object — to protest
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. kid — child
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. object — an aim
  19. pop — to visit
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. scale — in music
  23. key — for a lock
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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