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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 116 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. branch — a division
  3. swing — music
  4. perch — the fish
  5. mug — to rob
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. mug — a face
  10. land — to come down
  11. plane — a tool
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. land — a country
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mug — a cup
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. bat — the animal
  22. swing — in golf
  23. pass — a permit
  24. land — ground

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