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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: pound · fork · branch · roll · saw · bulb · pitch · perch

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. roll — a list
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — completely
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. saw — the tool
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. perch — the fish
  22. saw — the tool
  23. roll — a cake
  24. bulb — for light

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