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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · craft · fall · perch · capital · wake · branch · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. capital — a city
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. can — a tin
  5. wake — a trail
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. perch — the fish
  9. capital — money
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. can — to be able to
  12. branch — a division
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. fall — to drop
  15. craft — boats
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. fall — the season
  18. can — a tin
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. craft — a skill
  23. fall — to drop
  24. wake — before a funeral

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