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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
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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: sharp · perch · wave · hide · ball · root · bank · net

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ball — a dance
  3. root — of a word
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. net — after costs
  10. bank — for money
  11. net — in sport
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. sharp — clever
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bank — of a river
  23. net — for catching
  24. ball — a great time

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