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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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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: perch · march · branch · wave · bore · cue · fork · tube

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. fork — in a road
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bore — to tire
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. cue — a hint
  10. march — music
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. march — the month
  15. perch — the fish
  16. march — the month
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. cue — for pool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bore — to drill
  21. cue — a signal
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — the underground

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