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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: ball · perch · stick · jam · root · craft · swing · branch

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. swing — music
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. root — of a plant
  8. branch — a division
  9. root — the cause
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. swing — in golf
  14. craft — boats
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. craft — a skill
  19. ball — a dance
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. root — of a word
  22. ball — a great time
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. swing — to play on

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