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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 116 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 · plane · bark · bank · pitcher · march · pop · firm

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bank — of a river
  3. firm — decided
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bank — for money
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. march — the month
  9. bark — to shout
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bank — for money
  12. march — the month
  13. march — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. pop — music
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — a company
  23. plane — a tool
  24. perch — for a bird

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