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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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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: stick · content · saw · perch · toast · ruler · scale · bank

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bank — for money
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. perch — the fish
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. toast — bread
  14. bank — for money
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. content — happy
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bank — of a river
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. content — the amount

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