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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.

Make a worksheet

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: content · bowl · bass · perch · branch · cabinet · wake · cue

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. content — happy
  5. bass — low music
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. branch — a division
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. perch — the fish
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wake — a trail
  13. content — the amount
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bass — the fish
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. cue — a signal
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bowl — to roll

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