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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. squash — the sport
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. key — the most important part
  12. perch — the fish
  13. branch — a division
  14. can — a tin
  15. key — in music
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. key — for a lock
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. squash — to crush
  24. racket — for tennis

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