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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. stock — goods
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bore — to drill
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. cap — a lid
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. march — the month
  12. cap — a hat
  13. march — the month
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stock — shares
  22. cap — of ice
  23. march — music
  24. mouse — for a computer

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