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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. perch — the fish
  4. mark — a trace
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — a division
  8. pitch — completely
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. mark — a grade
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. mark — to pay attention

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