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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 120 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. firm — steady
  3. chip — for betting
  4. cap — a hat
  5. rest — a break
  6. cap — a lid
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. wax — to grow
  12. firm — decided
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. cap — of ice
  16. firm — a company
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. chip — to eat
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. rest — what's left
  23. perch — the fish
  24. branch — of a tree

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