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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.

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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rock — music
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mark — a grade
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. branch — a division
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. rock — a stone
  19. deal — to handle
  20. mark — a trace
  21. perch — the fish
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. leaves — lets stay

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