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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. key — in music
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. key — the most important part
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. key — for a lock
  13. branch — a division
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. kid — to tease
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. kid — child
  18. perch — the fish
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pass — a permit
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. patient — a sick person

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