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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. suit — to fit
  6. stand — to bear
  7. sharp — clever
  8. foot — a measure
  9. perch — the fish
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. snap — to click
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. suit — in cards
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. suit — clothes
  24. foot — the bottom

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