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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. suit — to fit
  3. branch — a division
  4. degree — temperature
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. degree — an amount
  7. bank — for money
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — a law
  10. bulb — for light
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bank — for money
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. suit — clothes
  16. degree — from a university
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. rule — government
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bank — of a river

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