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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · branch · bear · rest · ball · bank · mug · game

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. game — a match
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rest — what's left
  7. branch — a division
  8. mug — a cup
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bank — for money
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. game — wild animals
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mug — to rob

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