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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: jam · branch · shower · bay · mouse · ruler · ball · clip

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. ball — a great time
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. clip — for paper
  9. shower — rain
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. ball — a dance
  13. shower — to wash
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. branch — a division
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. clip — a video
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. clip — to cut

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