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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: ruler · plane · bear · leaves · chair · branch · stick · perch

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bear — the animal
  3. chair — a leader
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bear — the animal
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. perch — the fish
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. plane — a tool
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. branch — a division
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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