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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: mark · safe · bank · season · band · kick · perch · object

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. season — in sport
  3. mark — a trace
  4. kick — in football
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a music group
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. object — a thing
  14. season — of the year
  15. mark — a grade
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bank — for money
  18. object — an aim
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bank — of a river
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bank — for money
  24. object — to protest

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