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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: pitcher · net · perch · calf · current · branch · hide · deal

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. deal — to handle
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — after costs
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. current — electric
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. perch — the fish
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. current — happening now
  22. net — in sport
  23. current — of water
  24. branch — a division

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