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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: key · bear · kick · branch · pitcher · bulb · perch · bank

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. key — for a lock
  3. branch — a division
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bank — of a river
  6. key — in music
  7. bank — for money
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bear — the animal
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bank — for money
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bulb — for light
  17. key — the most important part
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. kick — in football
  24. bulb — for light

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