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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.

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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: tube · pop · game · branch · chest · mouse · wave · cue

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. branch — a division
  4. tube — the underground
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chest — of your body
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. tube — a container
  12. game — a match
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — a box
  17. cue — for pool
  18. pop — soda
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. game — wild animals
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — to visit
  24. mouse — the animal

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