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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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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: branch · suit · ground · leaves · present · land · perch · current

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. ground — crushed
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. current — electric
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. present — there
  9. ground — the earth
  10. suit — clothes
  11. ground — a position
  12. current — happening now
  13. suit — to fit
  14. present — a gift
  15. branch — a division
  16. perch — the fish
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. land — ground
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. current — of water
  22. land — to come down
  23. suit — in cards
  24. land — a country

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