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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. track — a song
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. suit — clothes
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. kid — child
  15. suit — to fit
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. suit — in cards
  19. branch — a division
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. kid — to tease
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a path
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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