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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: branch · row · wave · sharp · pass · key · bay · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. row — to paddle
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. key — for a lock
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. branch — a division
  12. sharp — clever
  13. key — in music
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. pass — a permit
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. row — a line
  24. pass — to spend time

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