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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: bay · branch · hide · pop · cabinet · ball · spring · mouse

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. spring — a coil
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. ball — a dance
  5. spring — the season
  6. spring — of water
  7. pop — soda
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. branch — a division
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — music
  24. branch — of a tree

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