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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: can · branch · craft · rush · perch · trunk · toast · chest

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. toast — bread
  3. craft — boats
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. branch — a division
  8. chest — of your body
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. chest — of your body
  18. rush — hurry
  19. can — a tin
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. can — to be able to
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. can — a tin
  24. chest — a box

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