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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: squash · bay · cue · race · sharp · bowl · mouse · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. cue — a signal
  13. sharp — clever
  14. race — humankind
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. squash — the sport
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. branch — a division
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. race — a contest

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