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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.

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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 · branch · key · date · bank · perch · kid · face

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bank — of a river
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. key — for a lock
  6. face — part of the head
  7. kid — to tease
  8. branch — a division
  9. face — to point toward
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rock — a stone
  13. bank — for money
  14. date — the fruit
  15. rock — music
  16. kid — child
  17. key — the most important part
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bank — for money
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. face — to confront
  23. key — in music
  24. rock — to move gently

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