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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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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: trunk · pass · pound · mouse · mark · wake · rush · branch

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wake — a trail
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mark — a grade
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. branch — a division

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