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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. branch — a division
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. perch — the fish
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. capital — a city
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pound — a weight
  23. deal — to handle
  24. capital — a big letter

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