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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rule — government
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rule — a law
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. mark — a trace
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. band — a music group
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. branch — a division
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. band — a ring
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. perch — the fish
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mark — a grade

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