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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: branch · dip · object · nail · perch · last · stick · season

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. season — of the year
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. last — final
  5. object — an aim
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. object — a thing
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. perch — the fish
  13. last — to go on
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. branch — a division
  18. season — in sport
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. last — finally
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. object — to protest
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. dip — to sink

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