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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 116 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: object · chip · march · mouse · perch · mark · plane · bank

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bank — for money
  3. mark — a grade
  4. chip — to eat
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. march — the month
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. object — to protest
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. object — a thing
  12. bank — of a river
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bank — for money
  18. march — music
  19. object — an aim
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mark — a trace
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mark — to pay attention

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