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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: file · spring · lash · nail · perch · branch · mark · arm

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. branch — a division
  3. file — a tool
  4. mark — a trace
  5. spring — a coil
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. perch — the fish
  9. file — a line of people
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. spring — of water
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. spring — the season
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. file — a document

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