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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
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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: board · leaves · bass · tear · charge · bank · branch · perch

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. perch — the fish
  3. tear — from crying
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. charge — a price
  6. board — to get on
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. bank — of a river
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bank — for money
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. charge — in control
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bass — low music
  17. bank — for money
  18. tear — from crying
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. board — a committee
  21. charge — electricity
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. leaves — lets stay

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