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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.

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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: kid · charge · perch · spring · season · date · stick · branch

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. charge — in control
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. perch — the fish
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. spring — the season
  8. kid — child
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. charge — electricity
  12. spring — a coil
  13. season — in sport
  14. spring — of water
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. charge — a price
  19. season — of the year
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. date — the fruit
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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