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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: nail · perch · coach · snap · dip · band · suit · branch

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. band — a ring
  5. suit — clothes
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. suit — to fit
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. snap — to click
  13. band — a music group
  14. dip — to sink
  15. branch — a division
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. perch — the fish
  22. suit — in cards
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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