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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 120 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: perch · mark · bank · arm · rock · stem · track · game

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. game — a match
  3. bank — of a river
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bank — for money
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. perch — the fish
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bank — for money
  12. mark — a grade
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rock — music
  16. track — a path
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. stem — to come from
  24. game — wild animals

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