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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 116 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: mark · perch · staff · dip · pop · branch · racket · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pop — to visit
  5. dip — to sink
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. mark — a grade
  10. pop — music
  11. perch — the fish
  12. staff — employees
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. staff — employees
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pop — soda
  18. mark — a trace
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. staff — a stick
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. dip — a sauce
  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