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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: spring · scale · mark · chip · bank · swing · wave · perch

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bank — for money
  5. spring — of water
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. scale — in music
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bank — for money
  11. perch — the fish
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. chip — to eat
  14. spring — a coil
  15. swing — music
  16. spring — the season
  17. mark — a grade
  18. swing — in golf
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. swing — to play on

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