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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. firm — a company
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. perch — the fish
  6. plane — a tool
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. court — of law
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bass — low music
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. branch — a division
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. foot — a measure
  22. court — of a king
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. court — for sport

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