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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: cell · branch · trunk · bear · bass · cue · mouse · wound

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — low music
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bass — the fish
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cell — in biology
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bear — the animal
  14. branch — a division
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. cell — a phone
  24. wound — an injury

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