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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: present · perch · suit · bank · toast · pound · racket · branch

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bank — for money
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. toast — bread
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bank — of a river
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. suit — to fit
  11. present — there
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. bank — for money
  14. present — the time now
  15. pound — a weight
  16. present — a gift
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. perch — the fish

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