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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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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: mark · ruler · stick · pound · perch · bark · branch · last

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. branch — a division
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. last — finally
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bark — to shout
  14. last — final
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mark — a trace
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. last — to go on
  21. perch — the fish
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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