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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: board · branch · pop · bound · ground · perch · scale · bowl

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. ground — the earth
  3. scale — in music
  4. perch — the fish
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. board — to get on
  9. bound — obliged
  10. branch — a division
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bound — tied together
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. ground — a position
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — music
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bound — certain
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. board — a committee

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