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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · branch · leaves · game · pass · rest · mouse · chip

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. game — a match
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pass — a permit
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rest — a break
  20. chip — to eat
  21. branch — a division
  22. game — wild animals
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. branch — of a tree

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