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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: suit · branch · mouse · sharp · rule · bay · wake · hand

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. sharp — clever
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. hand — help
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. rule — a law
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. hand — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. wake — a trail
  18. rule — government
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. suit — to fit
  24. sharp — with an edge

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