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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: mouse · cue · leaves · dip · branch · firm · rush · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. cue — a signal
  5. firm — a company
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. ball — a great time
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. branch — a division
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. firm — steady
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. firm — decided
  18. rush — hurry
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. cue — for pool
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. dip — to sink
  24. cue — a hint

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