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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 · swing · pop · can · nail · leaves · bat

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. pop — music
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. can — a tin
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. swing — in golf
  10. pop — to visit
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. pop — soda
  14. swing — to play on
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. can — a tin
  17. swing — music
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. can — to be able to
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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