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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. file — a document
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. suit — clothes
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wake — a trail
  7. suit — in cards
  8. file — a line of people
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. perch — the fish
  11. file — a tool
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. band — a ring
  15. branch — a division
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. band — a music group
  23. suit — to fit
  24. branch — of a bank

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