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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 116 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: rash · game · perch · present · branch · content · current · calf

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. content — the amount
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. branch — a division
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. content — happy
  8. present — there
  9. current — of water
  10. current — electric
  11. perch — the fish
  12. current — happening now
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. present — a gift
  16. game — wild animals
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. rash — a series
  20. game — a match
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. rash — hasty
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rash — on the skin

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