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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mate — a friend
  9. charge — a price
  10. field — a subject
  11. field — farmland
  12. charge — in control
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. field — for sport
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mate — to breed
  21. branch — a division
  22. charge — electricity
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mate — a partner

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