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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: deal · foot · bound · stem · branch · mouse · saw · game

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stem — to come from
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bound — tied together
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. deal — to handle
  8. branch — a division
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. game — wild animals
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bound — certain
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bound — obliged
  20. game — a match
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. saw — the tool
  23. foot — a measure
  24. stem — of a plant

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