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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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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: fine · ruler · perch · bank · march · firm · present · stock

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. fine — all right
  3. perch — the fish
  4. firm — steady
  5. bank — of a river
  6. march — the month
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. firm — decided
  9. present — a gift
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bank — for money
  13. march — the month
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. present — the time now
  17. bank — for money
  18. present — there
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stock — goods
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. march — music
  24. firm — a company

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