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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. press — a publisher
  3. net — in sport
  4. mug — a cup
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. net — for catching
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bulb — for light
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bulb — for light
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. press — newspapers
  16. foot — a measure
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. mug — to rob
  19. net — after costs
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. branch — a division
  22. press — to push
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. mug — a face

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