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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. perch — the fish
  5. branch — a division
  6. pit — in a race
  7. charge — electricity
  8. wound — an injury
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. pit — a hole
  11. present — the time now
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. charge — in control
  14. present — there
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. present — a gift
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the fish
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. charge — a price

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