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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. perch — the fish
  3. face — part of the head
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. object — to protest
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. swing — to play on
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — a division
  11. foot — a measure
  12. stock — goods
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. stock — shares
  15. object — an aim
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — to point toward
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. swing — in golf
  21. object — a thing
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. branch — of a tree

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