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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
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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: cabinet · wave · firm · perch · key · bat · coach · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. firm — a company
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. key — for a lock
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. firm — steady
  10. perch — the fish
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bat — the animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. key — in music
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. branch — a division
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. key — the most important part
  24. firm — decided

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