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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: arm · rush · band · chair · track · perch · firm · bank

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. band — a ring
  6. bank — for money
  7. firm — decided
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bank — of a river
  10. perch — the fish
  11. firm — a company
  12. track — to keep track
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. band — a music group
  16. bank — for money
  17. track — a song
  18. track — a path
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. firm — steady
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. chair — to sit on

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