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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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468
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 · wave · branch · squash · bank · pitch · stem · board

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bank — for money
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. board — to get on
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bank — for money
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. board — a committee
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. squash — the sport
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. branch — a division
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pitch — completely

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