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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. perch — the fish
  4. swing — to play on
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. vault — a safe
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. degree — from a university
  16. branch — a division
  17. degree — an amount
  18. stand — to bear
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. degree — temperature
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. charge — in control

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