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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mouse · fan · pass · branch · perch · stick · roll · tube

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. branch — a division
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a cake
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. roll — a list
  22. tube — a container
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. branch — of a bank

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