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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: present · swing · perch · wave · bulb · bank · spring · temple

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. present — the time now
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. swing — music
  6. perch — the fish
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. swing — to play on
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bank — for money
  16. spring — a coil
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. spring — of water
  20. bulb — for light
  21. spring — the season
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bank — of a river

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