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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. shower — rain
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. branch — a division
  9. shower — to wash
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ball — a great time
  13. root — of a plant
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. root — of a word
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. root — the cause
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. ball — a dance
  24. dip — a sauce

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