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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: perch · stand · saw · net · cap · branch · ruler · spring

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. net — in sport
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. branch — a division
  8. saw — the tool
  9. spring — of water
  10. net — after costs
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. spring — a coil
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. net — for catching
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. cap — a hat
  19. stand — to bear
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. spring — the season

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