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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 · arm · perch · jam · spell · cue · roll · stand

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. spell — magic
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stand — to bear
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. roll — a list
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. perch — the fish
  14. cue — a hint
  15. spell — a short time
  16. branch — a division
  17. cue — for pool
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. roll — a cake
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. spell — letters
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. arm — a part of something
  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