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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: spring · stand · bank · craft · scale · racket · perch · season

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. craft — a skill
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. spring — the season
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. season — in sport
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. season — of the year
  13. spring — of water
  14. craft — boats
  15. spring — a coil
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — in music
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bank — for money
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. perch — the fish
  24. stand — to bear

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