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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: suit · mouse · last · fork · cue · bay · roll · branch

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cue — a hint
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. suit — in cards
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. last — to go on
  11. last — finally
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. cue — a signal
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — a division
  19. roll — a list
  20. cue — for pool
  21. roll — a cake
  22. last — final
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mouse — the animal

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