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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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468
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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. perch — the fish
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. dip — to sink
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. branch — a division
  16. spell — letters
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. spell — a short time
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. spell — magic
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. temple — a place of worship

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