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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: perch · bank · stock · foot · pit · bulb · track · fine

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bank — for money
  5. pit — a hole
  6. stock — shares
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bank — for money
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stock — goods
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bulb — for light
  16. track — a song
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. track — a path
  23. perch — the fish
  24. foot — a measure

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