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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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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: spring · bowl · mouse · can · branch · firm · charge · wake

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. firm — decided
  4. charge — a price
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. spring — a coil
  8. wake — a trail
  9. can — a tin
  10. charge — electricity
  11. spring — of water
  12. firm — steady
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. charge — in control
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. branch — a division
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. can — a tin
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. firm — a company
  22. spring — the season
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bowl — a dish

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