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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: bound · perch · craft · mate · scale · foot · fan · branch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mate — a partner
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bound — obliged
  5. craft — a skill
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. foot — a measure
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bound — certain
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — a division
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bound — tied together
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. mate — to breed
  18. scale — in music
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. perch — the fish
  21. craft — boats
  22. scale — size or range
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. perch — for a bird

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