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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.

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: foot · bore · branch · fan · season · can · perch · tube

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. season — of the year
  4. season — in sport
  5. branch — a division
  6. can — to be able to
  7. perch — the fish
  8. tube — a container
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. tube — the underground
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. can — a tin
  13. bore — to drill
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bore — to tire
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. can — a tin
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. fan — a supporter

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