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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.

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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: squash · branch · pitcher · mug · rush · bank · perch · bulb

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. branch — a division
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bank — for money
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. mug — to rob
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. squash — to crush
  13. rush — hurry
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bulb — for light
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bulb — for light
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. mug — a face
  24. rush — a thrill

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