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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. court — of a king
  8. court — of law
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. scale — size or range
  11. court — for sport
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. saw — the tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. kick — in football
  19. branch — a division
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bear — the animal
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bulb — for light
  24. plane — a tool

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