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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: stick · bass · drill · spell · bank · branch · perch · roll

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bank — of a river
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bank — for money
  9. spell — magic
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bank — for money
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bass — low music
  17. spell — letters
  18. roll — a cake
  19. drill — army training
  20. roll — a list
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. branch — a division
  23. spell — a short time
  24. drill — a practice

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