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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: row · lean · branch · perch · mouse · cabinet · shower · capital

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. perch — the fish
  7. capital — money
  8. capital — a city
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. shower — to wash
  14. row — a line
  15. lean — to bend
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — to paddle
  22. lean — thin
  23. shower — rain
  24. mouse — for a computer

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