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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: game · fan · cap · perch · branch · hide · object · fine

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. game — wild animals
  3. cap — a lid
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. object — a thing
  6. game — a match
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a hat
  10. branch — a division
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. perch — the fish
  13. object — an aim
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. object — to protest
  24. perch — for a bird

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