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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 · toast · row · bound · shower · pitch · branch · squash

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. squash — to crush
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. shower — to wash
  6. branch — a division
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. row — a line
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. toast — bread
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pitch — completely
  17. squash — the sport
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bound — tied together
  21. shower — rain
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — obliged
  24. branch — of a bank

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