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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: perch · branch · fan · saw · bound · toast · ball · fork

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bound — tied together
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ball — a great time
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bound — certain
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. fork — in a road
  15. toast — bread
  16. branch — a division
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bound — obliged
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. perch — the fish
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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