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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: perch · bowl · kick · jam · mouse · branch · bank · arm

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bank — for money
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. kick — in football
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bank — for money
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. branch — a division
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bank — of a river
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bowl — to roll

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