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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. rest — what's left
  13. firm — decided
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. branch — a division
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rest — what's left

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