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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: mouse · content · lean · lie · branch · leaves · drill · roll

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. roll — a list
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lie — to recline
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. branch — a division
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. drill — army training
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. roll — a cake
  24. branch — of a bank

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