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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 · land · lie · pound · dip · suit · branch · trunk

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. land — a country
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. dip — to sink
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. lie — to recline
  8. suit — in cards
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. pound — a weight
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. suit — to fit
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — ground
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. perch — the fish
  20. suit — clothes
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. pound — to hit hard

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