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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.

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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: branch · ruler · fall · pass · bulb · calf · bass · perch

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. bulb — for light
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bass — the fish
  8. fall — the season
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. fall — to drop
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — a division
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pass — a permit
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bulb — for light

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