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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — a division
  3. march — the month
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. march — the month
  6. charge — electricity
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. perch — the fish
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — a gift
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. charge — in control
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. present — there
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. march — music
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — in cards
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. charge — a price
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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