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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. cue — a signal
  3. perch — the fish
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. dip — to sink
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. branch — a division
  9. game — wild animals
  10. chest — a box
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. wax — to grow
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. chest — of your body
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. cue — for pool
  19. chest — of your body
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. cue — a hint
  22. toast — bread
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. game — a match

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