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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: bowl · spell · branch · hide · foot · perch · bank · toast

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. toast — bread
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. spell — letters
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bank — for money
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. perch — the fish
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bank — for money
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. foot — a measure
  20. spell — magic
  21. branch — a division
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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