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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. chip — for betting
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. key — in music
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — a hat
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. chip — to eat
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. date — the fruit
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. key — the most important part
  22. perch — the fish
  23. bark — to shout
  24. key — for a lock

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