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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 116 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  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. branch — of a tree
  2. scale — size or range
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bore — to tire
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bore — to drill
  10. branch — a division
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. scale — in music
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. sharp — clever
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — to get on
  23. sharp — with an edge
  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