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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: leaves · mark · lean · straw · rock · bank · perch · rush

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rush — hurry
  5. perch — the fish
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. lean — thin
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — music
  15. mark — a trace
  16. lean — to bend
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. straw — dry grass

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