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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: mug · chest · branch · perch · lean · bay · wave · mouse

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. mug — to rob
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chest — a box
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. chest — of your body
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. lean — thin
  18. branch — a division
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. chest — of your body
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — a cup
  24. lean — to bend

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