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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: can · rash · bank · perch · court · saw · net · mug

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mug — a cup
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rash — a series
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. court — of law
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. net — after costs
  10. rash — hasty
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. net — for catching
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mug — to rob
  19. court — for sport
  20. net — in sport
  21. court — of a king
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bank — for money
  24. mug — a face

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