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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. band — a music group
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. scale — in music
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. perch — the fish
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. band — a ring
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. racket — for tennis

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