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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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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: pitcher · firm · bound · cue · rock · snap · branch · foot

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bound — tied together
  6. snap — to click
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. firm — a company
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. cue — for pool
  13. rock — music
  14. firm — decided
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bound — certain
  17. cue — a hint
  18. firm — steady
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bound — obliged
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. foot — a measure

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