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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: fine · perch · bank · mouse · tube · last · firm · mug

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. tube — a container
  3. last — finally
  4. firm — decided
  5. tube — the underground
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bank — for money
  8. firm — a company
  9. fine — high quality
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a face
  12. last — final
  13. bank — for money
  14. fine — all right
  15. perch — the fish
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. firm — steady
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bank — of a river
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. tube — in a tire

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