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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. cap — of ice
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. cap — a lid
  5. object — to protest
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. branch — a division
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. object — a thing
  16. cap — a hat
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. perch — the fish
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. object — an aim
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rush — hurry

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