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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 116 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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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: coach · wind · branch · kick · perch · prune · ruler · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. kick — in football
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. wind — moving air
  10. perch — the fish
  11. branch — a division
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. plane — a tool
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. prune — to trim
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wind — moving air
  24. perch — for a bird

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