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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. rock — music
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bulb — for light
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. land — to come down
  12. branch — a division
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. land — a country
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mark — a grade
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. perch — the fish
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. land — ground
  24. bulb — for light

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