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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.

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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: date · perch · bass · present · bore · branch · can · plane

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. present — the time now
  3. branch — a division
  4. bore — to tire
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. present — there
  8. can — a tin
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. can — a tin
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. plane — a tool
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. perch — the fish
  16. can — to be able to
  17. bore — to drill
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. present — a gift
  20. date — the fruit
  21. bass — low music
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bass — the fish
  24. branch — of a tree

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