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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: net · branch · leaves · nail · snap · ruler · band · perch

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. band — a ring
  7. perch — the fish
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. branch — a division
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — for catching
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. band — a music group
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to click
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. net — in sport
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. leaves — to go away

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