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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.

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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: wax · march · perch · bear · content · bank · suit · shower

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — rain
  5. bank — for money
  6. suit — to fit
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. march — music
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. march — the month
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. march — the month
  18. content — the amount
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. shower — to wash
  21. suit — clothes
  22. perch — the fish
  23. content — happy
  24. suit — in cards

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