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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. branch — a division
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mark — a grade
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. squash — the sport
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bulb — for light
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. craft — boats
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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