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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. branch — a division
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — an aim
  7. perch — the fish
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. firm — steady
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. staff — employees
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. staff — a stick
  16. firm — a company
  17. net — for catching
  18. object — to protest
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — in sport
  24. firm — decided

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