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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.

Make a worksheet

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: leaves · chair · can · prune · bank · swing · season · perch

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. season — in sport
  3. bank — for money
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. swing — to play on
  13. prune — to trim
  14. can — a tin
  15. prune — to trim
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bank — of a river
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. chair — a leader
  22. swing — music
  23. season — of the year
  24. leaves — to go away

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