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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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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: suit · wake · branch · perch · bank · scale · toast · snap

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wake — a trail
  3. suit — to fit
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. bank — for money
  7. suit — in cards
  8. toast — bread
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. snap — to click
  11. branch — a division
  12. suit — clothes
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. scale — in music
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. scale — size or range
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bank — for money
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. perch — the fish

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