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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. perch — the fish
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bear — the animal
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. court — of law
  14. bear — the animal
  15. court — of a king
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. court — for sport
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. cap — a lid
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. vault — a safe

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