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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.

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: present · row · perch · wax · track · coach · bank · shower

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  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. wax — for sculpting
  2. shower — rain
  3. track — a song
  4. row — to paddle
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bank — for money
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. perch — the fish
  9. present — a gift
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a path
  13. bank — of a river
  14. shower — to wash
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bank — for money
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. present — the time now
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. row — a line
  22. present — there
  23. perch — for a bird
  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