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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.

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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: wave · bore · mine · stand · perch · bank · leaves · plane

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. perch — the fish
  2. bank — for money
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bank — for money
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. plane — a tool
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bore — to tire
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bore — to drill
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. stand — to bear
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. wave — with your hand
  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