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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. perch — the fish
  3. march — music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. march — the month
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. court — of a king
  8. vault — a safe
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. march — the month
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. court — for sport
  15. staff — employees
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. key — the most important part
  20. staff — employees
  21. bark — to shout
  22. branch — a division
  23. staff — a stick
  24. key — in music

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