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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: straw · mark · perch · branch · stand · track · pitcher · dip

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. track — a song
  6. stand — to bear
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. dip — to sink
  11. track — a path
  12. mark — a trace
  13. branch — a division
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. perch — the fish
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mark — a grade
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. track — to keep track
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. mark — to pay attention

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