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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pop — soda
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pound — a weight
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. root — of a word
  10. perch — the fish
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pop — music
  15. craft — boats
  16. branch — a division
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. fork — in a road
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — the cause

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