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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: shower · key · mouse · branch · bay · ruler · clip · mug

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mug — a face
  5. key — the most important part
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. mug — to rob
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mug — a cup
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. clip — to cut
  16. clip — for paper
  17. shower — rain
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. branch — a division
  21. clip — a video
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. shower — to wash

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