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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · branch · cell · nail · perch · kick

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. kick — in football
  3. perch — the fish
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. cell — a phone
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — a division

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