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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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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: branch · rush · perch · racket · suit · mark

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. branch — a division
  7. rush — hurry
  8. suit — in cards
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. perch — the fish
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mark — a grade
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. suit — clothes

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