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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. roll — a list
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bore — to drill
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. mate — a friend
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. march — the month
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. stand — to bear
  14. march — music
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bore — to tire
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. roll — a cake
  19. mate — a partner
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. march — the month
  22. perch — the fish
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. perch — for a bird

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