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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 120 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: perch · content · ruler · branch · fork · pitcher · plane · fan

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. content — the amount
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. content — happy
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. plane — a tool
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. perch — the fish

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