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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. drill — army training
  5. craft — boats
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bass — the fish
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bass — low music
  19. bark — to shout
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. perch — the fish
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. craft — a skill

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