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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 120 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bear — the animal
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bear — the animal
  5. dip — to sink
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. lie — to recline
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. branch — a division
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bass — low music
  24. branch — of a tree

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