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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.

Make a worksheet

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: trunk · ball · chair · branch · perch · wave · stick · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. ball — a dance
  9. perch — the fish
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. can — to be able to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. can — a tin
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. branch — a division
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. chair — a leader
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. ball — a great time

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