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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. track — a path
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. branch — a division
  6. charge — electricity
  7. ball — a great time
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. ball — a dance
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — part of the head
  14. track — to keep track
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. track — a song
  19. face — to point toward
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. perch — the fish

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