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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: bank · foot · stock · arm · bore · perch · straw · branch

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. stock — goods
  3. bore — to tire
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bank — for money
  6. stock — shares
  7. foot — a measure
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bank — for money
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. branch — a division
  21. bank — of a river
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. straw — a straw man
  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