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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: rock · chest · bay · leaves · branch · net · firm · mouse

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — decided
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. chest — of your body
  8. rock — a stone
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. chest — of your body
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. chest — a box
  15. firm — a company
  16. branch — a division
  17. net — for catching
  18. rock — music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. net — after costs
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. net — in sport

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