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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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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: calf · dip · pitcher · track · wake · rule · perch · branch

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  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. perch — the fish
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. track — a path
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. track — a song
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. track — to keep track
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. branch — a division
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. rule — a law
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. rule — government
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. wake — a trail
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. dip — to dunk
  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