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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 116 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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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: mug · band · pound · staff · saw · branch · firm · mouse

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. band — a music group
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pound — a weight
  9. firm — steady
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — a face
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. band — a ring
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. firm — a company
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. staff — a stick
  21. saw — the tool
  22. firm — decided
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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