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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.

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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 · perch · firm · cap · rush · face · trunk · mug

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mug — a cup
  3. face — to confront
  4. mug — a face
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. firm — decided
  7. rush — hurry
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. firm — steady
  10. mug — to rob
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. cap — of ice
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. branch — a division
  17. perch — the fish
  18. firm — a company
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — part of the head
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — a hat

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