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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 120 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: fall · perch · calf · land · stock · safe · present · branch

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fall — the season
  6. land — a country
  7. land — ground
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. land — to come down
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. fall — to drop
  12. branch — a division
  13. stock — shares
  14. present — the time now
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. fall — to drop
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. present — a gift
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stock — goods

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