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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. march — music
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. branch — a division
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. court — of a king
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. court — for sport
  15. tube — a container
  16. perch — the fish
  17. court — of law
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — to come from
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stand — to bear
  22. scale — size or range
  23. tube — the underground
  24. march — the month

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