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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: content · can · perch · chip · object · racket · dip · branch

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. can — a tin
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. object — to protest
  10. chip — to eat
  11. object — an aim
  12. branch — a division
  13. chip — for betting
  14. can — a tin
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. object — a thing
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. content — the amount
  20. dip — to sink
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. content — happy
  24. racket — for tennis

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