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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: mine · mouse · bass · branch · mark · leaves · bank · craft

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bank — for money
  5. craft — boats
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bank — of a river
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the fish
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mark — to pay attention

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