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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: mate · rule · mug · calf · stock · mouse · branch · board

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. board — a committee
  3. branch — a division
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mate — to breed
  6. rule — a law
  7. mug — a cup
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. board — to get on
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mug — to rob
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. rule — government
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stock — shares
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. mug — a face
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. stock — goods
  24. mouse — for a computer

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