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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. scale — size or range
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. spring — of water
  8. scale — in music
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — a coil
  12. fine — all right
  13. branch — a division
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. key — the most important part
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. key — in music

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