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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: branch · pitcher · bank · rule · tear · suit · bulb · perch

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. branch — a division
  3. rule — government
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bank — for money
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bank — for money
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. tear — from crying
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. suit — in cards
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. tear — to rip
  24. branch — of a bank

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