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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wax — to grow
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. kick — in football
  5. spell — magic
  6. branch — a division
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. spell — a short time
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. chip — for betting
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. chip — to eat
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. perch — the fish
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. spell — letters
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. branch — of a bank

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