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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: perch · pit · rush · leaves · ball · wake · board · bank

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. ball — a great time
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bank — for money
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bank — for money
  12. rush — hurry
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. board — to get on
  16. bank — of a river
  17. wake — a trail
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. pit — a hole
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. board — a committee
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. pit — in a race
  24. perch — the fish

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