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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.

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: shower · bank · perch · trunk · scale · object · pitch · present

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. present — a gift
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. shower — to wash
  6. present — there
  7. bank — of a river
  8. object — to protest
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. pitch — completely
  12. shower — rain
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bank — for money
  16. object — a thing
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. object — an aim
  19. scale — in music
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. present — the time now
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bank — for money

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