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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: rush · perch · craft · rash · lean · branch · season · spell

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. perch — the fish
  3. rash — a series
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. spell — magic
  6. season — in sport
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. season — of the year
  11. rash — hasty
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. spell — letters
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. craft — boats
  19. lean — thin
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. branch — a division
  22. lean — to bend
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. spell — a short time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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