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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: arm · wave · rock · scale · bank · present · suit · row

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bank — for money
  3. rock — music
  4. suit — to fit
  5. row — a line
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. present — a gift
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bank — of a river
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. present — there
  16. suit — in cards
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. scale — in music
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. present — the time now
  21. row — to paddle
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bank — for money

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