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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: mouse · branch · deal · bass · rush · suit · drill · ball

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. ball — a great time
  3. branch — a division
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bass — the fish
  9. drill — a practice
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bass — low music
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. ball — a dance
  16. rush — hurry
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — army training
  21. suit — clothes
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. suit — to fit
  24. ball — a round shape

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