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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: branch · fine · straw · tube · perch · racket · mark · season

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. perch — the fish
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — of the year
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. fine — high quality
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. tube — a container
  12. mark — a grade
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. tube — the underground
  15. season — in sport
  16. mark — a trace
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. branch — a division
  23. fine — all right
  24. straw — a straw man

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