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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bound · tear · perch · fine · hide · scale · wake · bank

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. perch — the fish
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. tear — from crying
  5. bank — of a river
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bound — tied together
  8. tear — from crying
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. scale — in music
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bound — certain
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bank — for money
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. tear — to rip
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bank — for money
  22. fine — all right
  23. wake — a trail
  24. scale — for weighing

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