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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: perch · branch · court · bore · suit · craft · roll · straw

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. roll — a cake
  8. suit — in cards
  9. branch — a division
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bore — to tire
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. court — of law
  17. court — for sport
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. roll — a list
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. craft — boats
  22. court — of a king
  23. suit — to fit
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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