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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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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: rock · mouse · pitcher · branch · season · wound · drill · lean

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. drill — army training
  3. season — in sport
  4. drill — a practice
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. season — of the year
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. wound — an injury
  20. rock — music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. drill — the tool
  24. rock — to move gently

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