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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: perch · key · stand · file · scale · bear · branch · lash

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. scale — in music
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. key — in music
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. file — a line of people
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. branch — a division
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a tool
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. perch — the fish
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. key — the most important part

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