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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 116 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ball — a great time
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — a division
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. ball — a dance
  11. squash — the sport
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. suit — to fit
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. suit — clothes
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — a trace
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mark — to pay attention

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