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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. squash — the sport
  5. dip — to sink
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — to crush
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. game — wild animals
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pound — a weight
  20. foot — a measure
  21. game — a match
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. perch — the fish

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