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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. can — to be able to
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. branch — a division
  6. bank — for money
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. perch — the fish
  9. hand — help
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. drill — army training
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bank — for money
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. drill — the tool
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. hand — in cards
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bank — of a river

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