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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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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. mate — to breed
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. can — to be able to
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. can — a tin
  10. mate — a partner
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. hand — in cards
  15. can — a tin
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. branch — a division
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mate — a friend
  21. fork — in a road
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. hand — help

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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