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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: march · mug · chair · branch · foot · nail · perch · toast

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. branch — a division
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. toast — bread
  8. mug — a cup
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. foot — a measure
  11. mug — to rob
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a leader
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. perch — the fish
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. mug — a face
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. march — the month
  21. march — the month
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  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