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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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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 · bank · kid · mate · bay · pitcher · cabinet · wave

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bank — for money
  5. perch — the fish
  6. mate — a partner
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. mate — a friend
  11. kid — to tease
  12. mate — to breed
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bank — for money
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. kid — child
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — a horse colour

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