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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: perch · branch · mouse · court · scale · trunk · fork · mark

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. fork — in a road
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. scale — in music
  6. court — of law
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mark — a grade
  10. court — for sport
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. court — of a king

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