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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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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: perch · staff · spell · saw · lie · bank · pound · hand

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bank — for money
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bank — of a river
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. hand — help
  8. saw — the tool
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. saw — the tool
  12. staff — employees
  13. spell — magic
  14. staff — a stick
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. perch — the fish
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. staff — employees
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. spell — letters
  23. bank — for money
  24. spell — a short time

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