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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: mouse · spell · craft · cabinet · saw · rash · branch · ball

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. branch — a division
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. spell — a short time
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. rash — a series
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rash — hasty
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. spell — letters
  20. ball — a great time
  21. spell — magic
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ball — a dance

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