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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 120 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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. branch — a division
  3. current — happening now
  4. staff — employees
  5. current — electric
  6. lean — to bend
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. suit — to fit
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. sharp — clever
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. perch — the fish
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. lean — thin
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. staff — employees
  21. current — of water
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. staff — a stick

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