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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · deal · bay · mouse · leaves · branch · key · clip

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. key — in music
  3. deal — to handle
  4. can — a tin
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. clip — for paper
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. branch — a division
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. clip — a video
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — for a lock
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. leaves — to go away

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