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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.

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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bass — low music
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. branch — a division
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. perch — the fish
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. key — for a lock
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — an aim
  14. bass — the fish
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. key — in music
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. object — to protest
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. key — the most important part
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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