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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.

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: mouse · craft · stand · charge · roll · branch · hand · ball

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. ball — a great time
  3. roll — a list
  4. craft — boats
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. roll — a cake
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. hand — help
  14. branch — a division
  15. hand — in cards
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — in control
  19. stand — to bear
  20. craft — a skill
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. charge — electricity
  24. stand — for spectators

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