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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: branch · bowl · ball · press · craft · perch · safe · band

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. band — a music group
  9. branch — a division
  10. press — newspapers
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. band — a ring
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. craft — a skill
  17. ball — a dance
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. press — to push
  21. press — a publisher
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. ball — a great time

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