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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.

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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: bank · present · fan · key · current · rush · perch · spring

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. spring — of water
  5. perch — the fish
  6. key — the most important part
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. spring — the season
  9. current — electric
  10. rush — hurry
  11. current — of water
  12. current — happening now
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. spring — a coil
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. key — in music
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. present — a gift
  19. bank — for money
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  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