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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 120 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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. key — in music
  3. wound — an injury
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. face — part of the head
  10. key — for a lock
  11. rest — what's left
  12. root — the cause
  13. face — to confront
  14. foot — a measure
  15. rest — a break
  16. branch — a division
  17. perch — the fish
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. root — of a plant
  20. wound — an injury
  21. face — to point toward
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rest — what's left
  24. root — of a word

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