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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: fan · mate · mouse · branch · calf · club · cell · rash

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mate — to breed
  3. branch — a division
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cell — a phone
  7. club — for golf
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. cell — in biology
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. club — for dancing
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. club — a group
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mate — a partner
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — a series

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