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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. race — humankind
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — to protest
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. race — the arms race
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cue — for pool
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cue — a signal
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. branch — a division
  19. object — an aim
  20. cue — a hint
  21. land — to come down
  22. land — a country
  23. race — a contest
  24. land — ground

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