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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 116 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: dip · nail · pop · perch · fine · bear · branch · rash

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. pop — music
  4. fine — high quality
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. fine — all right
  9. rash — a series
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pop — to visit
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rash — hasty
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. pop — soda
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bear — the animal
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. perch — the fish
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. branch — a division

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