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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. rock — music
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. branch — a division
  9. rock — a stone
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. mark — a trace
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. toast — bread
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fork — in a road

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