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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. branch — a division
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pitch — completely
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. mark — a grade
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. scale — size or range
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — in football
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. perch — the fish

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