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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 120 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
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 · branch · sharp · fall · rash · squash · wave · safe

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. sharp — clever
  3. squash — to crush
  4. fall — the season
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. squash — the sport
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. rash — hasty
  21. fall — to drop
  22. perch — the fish
  23. fall — to drop
  24. branch — a division

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