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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 116 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. perch — the fish
  4. degree — temperature
  5. club — for dancing
  6. branch — a division
  7. club — for golf
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. club — a group
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — high quality
  17. degree — an amount
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. prune — to trim
  24. degree — from a university

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