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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 120 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 · suit · present · bowl · lie · sharp · branch · bore

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. present — a gift
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bore — to drill
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. present — there
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. branch — a division
  15. suit — clothes
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bore — to tire
  19. sharp — clever
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. present — the time now
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bore — gave birth

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