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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bulb — for light
  5. plane — a tool
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. degree — an amount
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stem — to come from
  13. suit — clothes
  14. degree — from a university
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bulb — for light
  22. suit — in cards
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. degree — temperature

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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