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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: branch · land · mouse · lean · bay · deal · bear · content

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. content — happy
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bear — the animal
  11. content — the amount
  12. land — a country
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — thin
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. branch — a division
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — ground
  24. bay — a horse colour

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