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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: mouse · suit · temple · roll · pound · bear · branch · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. rush — hurry
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. suit — clothes
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bear — the animal
  16. roll — a cake
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. roll — a list
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. branch — a division
  22. pound — a weight
  23. suit — to fit
  24. temple — side of the head

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