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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: mine · mouse · ruler · tear · jam · suit · branch · perch

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. suit — clothes
  6. tear — from crying
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. branch — a division
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. tear — from crying
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. perch — the fish
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. mine — for digging
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. suit — to fit
  24. tear — to rip

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