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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.

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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: snap · jam · bank · present · perch · ball · object · branch

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. present — there
  3. ball — a great time
  4. present — the time now
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. object — to protest
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. branch — a division
  12. bank — of a river
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. snap — to click
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bank — for money
  19. object — an aim
  20. bank — for money
  21. object — a thing
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. present — a gift
  24. perch — the fish

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