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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. branch — a division
  4. rock — music
  5. charge — a price
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. can — a tin
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. charge — in control
  12. can — a tin
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. rock — a stone
  16. perch — the fish
  17. rush — hurry
  18. can — to be able to
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. charge — electricity

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