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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · pass · kick · perch · ground · fan · arm · branch

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. kick — in football
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. ground — the earth
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — a position
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pop — soda
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — a division
  22. pop — to visit
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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