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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
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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: pitcher · branch · staff · mug · saw · squash · suit · spring

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mug — a face
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mug — a cup
  5. staff — a stick
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. staff — employees
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. spring — of water
  12. squash — the sport
  13. squash — to crush
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. spring — the season
  17. branch — a division
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. staff — employees
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. spring — a coil
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. mug — to rob

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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