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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. date — the fruit
  3. lean — to bend
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. sharp — clever
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. lean — thin
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. branch — a division
  21. perch — the fish
  22. mate — to breed
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. mate — a friend

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