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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. suit — in cards
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. perch — the fish
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. branch — a division
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — a law
  22. pit — a hole
  23. rule — government
  24. bowl — to roll

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