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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. track — to keep track
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. firm — decided
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. track — a path
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — wild animals
  11. pop — soda
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. track — a song
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. perch — the fish
  17. firm — steady
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. firm — a company
  21. pop — music
  22. game — a match
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pop — to visit

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