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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: safe · perch · current · branch · wave · trunk · pitcher · scale

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. current — electric
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — size or range
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. scale — in music
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. branch — a division
  24. perch — for a bird

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