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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pitch — completely
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bore — to drill
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. kid — child
  12. firm — decided
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. perch — the fish
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. kid — to tease
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. firm — steady
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. firm — a company

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