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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: rock · staff · cell · season · trunk · branch · perch · fan

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. cell — a phone
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rock — music
  14. perch — the fish
  15. staff — employees
  16. season — in sport
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. season — of the year
  19. cell — in biology
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cell — in a prison

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