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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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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: branch · pound · ruler · perch · cabinet · stem · kid · can

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. kid — to tease
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. can — a tin
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. stem — to come from
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pound — a weight
  16. can — a tin
  17. kid — child
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. can — to be able to
  22. perch — the fish
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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