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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 120 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: fine · wound · perch · ruler · pound · pit · branch · ball

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — all right
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pit — a hole
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. ball — a dance
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. pound — a weight
  17. wound — an injury
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pit — in a race
  22. fine — high quality
  23. wound — an injury
  24. branch — a division

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