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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: chair · rush · leaves · perch · net · bulb · mine · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. net — after costs
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. net — in sport
  9. perch — the fish
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rush — hurry
  14. chair — a leader
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bank — for money
  17. bulb — for light
  18. net — for catching
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mine — for digging
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. rush — to hurry

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