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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — to get on
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. perch — the fish
  13. rush — hurry
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. board — a committee
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. plane — an aircraft

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