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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 120 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: pitcher · drill · plane · branch · row · suit · season · mouse

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — clothes
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. drill — the tool
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. season — in sport
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. drill — army training
  21. plane — a tool
  22. season — of the year
  23. row — a line
  24. mouse — for a computer

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