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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: chair · firm · tube · mouse · rash · deal · track · branch

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. track — a song
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. firm — steady
  9. branch — a division
  10. firm — a company
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — the underground
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a path
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. firm — decided
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. chair — a leader
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. deal — to handle

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