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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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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. press — to push
  7. ball — a dance
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. staff — a stick
  12. perch — the fish
  13. ball — a great time
  14. staff — employees
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — newspapers
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. branch — a division
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. branch — of a bank

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