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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: calf · branch · perch · stand · rash · ground · tube · rush

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. tube — the underground
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rush — hurry
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. branch — a division
  11. tube — a container
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. ground — a position
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — the earth
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. perch — the fish
  21. stand — to bear
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. calf — a young animal

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