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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: hand · net · perch · file · object · bank · bay · mine

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  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. bank — for money
  2. file — a document
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. hand — in cards
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. net — for catching
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. object — an aim
  11. bank — of a river
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. object — a thing
  14. perch — the fish
  15. file — a tool
  16. file — a line of people
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. net — in sport
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. object — to protest
  21. mine — for digging
  22. hand — help
  23. net — after costs
  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