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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: sharp · fork · rock · pop · branch · straw · perch · plane

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. rock — music
  6. pop — to visit
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. rock — a stone
  15. perch — the fish
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pop — soda
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. sharp — clever
  23. pop — music
  24. branch — a division

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