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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · can · bank · pound · coach · perch · leaves · arm

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bank — for money
  6. can — a tin
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. can — to be able to
  9. branch — a division
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bank — for money
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. pound — a weight
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. can — a tin
  22. bank — of a river
  23. perch — the fish
  24. leaves — of a tree

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