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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 120 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: racket · firm · mouse · branch · pound · tear · leaves · scale

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. firm — decided
  4. scale — in music
  5. branch — a division
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. tear — from crying
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. firm — steady
  10. scale — size or range
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. tear — to rip
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. firm — a company
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pound — a weight
  24. tear — from crying

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