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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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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: pound · arm · mouse · wave · ruler · leaves · branch · craft

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. branch — a division
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. craft — a skill
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. pound — a weight
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. craft — boats
  24. branch — of a bank

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