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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 116 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: trunk · perch · mate · bank · branch · straw · bay · net

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. net — for catching
  4. mate — to breed
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mate — a friend
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. mate — a partner
  14. branch — a division
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — after costs
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bank — of a river
  24. trunk — of a tree

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