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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: toast · game · foot · mouse · branch · kick · coach · bear

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. foot — a measure
  5. kick — in football
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. branch — a division
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a match
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. toast — bread
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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