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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: branch · fall · spell · march · cabinet · ruler · perch · wax

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. fall — to drop
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. spell — a short time
  5. fall — to drop
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. march — music
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wax — to grow
  13. fall — the season
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. march — the month
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. march — the month
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. spell — letters
  21. branch — a division
  22. spell — magic
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. perch — the fish

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