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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: object · mouse · bear · mug · mark · branch · hand · kick

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. kick — in football
  3. mark — a grade
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. object — to protest
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. hand — in cards
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. object — an aim
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. branch — a division
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bear — the animal
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. object — a thing
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mug — a cup
  23. branch — of a tree
  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