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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 120 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: fork · rash · plane · perch · branch · bark · lie · trunk

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. rash — hasty
  4. branch — a division
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. rash — a series
  9. perch — the fish
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. plane — a tool
  13. lie — to recline
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bark — to shout
  17. fork — in a road
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. perch — for a bird

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