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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.

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: scale · pound · wound · perch · plane · bark · bank · squash

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bark — to shout
  4. perch — the fish
  5. wound — an injury
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. squash — to crush
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wound — an injury
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bank — for money
  20. squash — the sport
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pound — for dogs

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