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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.

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: firm · bank · perch · season · content · mark · arm · shower

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. firm — decided
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. shower — rain
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bank — of a river
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bank — for money
  13. firm — steady
  14. content — happy
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. season — in sport
  18. mark — a grade
  19. season — of the year
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mark — a trace
  23. content — the amount
  24. firm — a company

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