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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mine · bank · perch · rock · file · chair · season · can

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bank — of a river
  3. file — a line of people
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. can — a tin
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. bank — for money
  8. file — a tool
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. perch — the fish
  13. rock — music
  14. chair — a leader
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mine — for digging
  17. file — a document
  18. bank — for money
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. season — of the year
  21. can — a tin
  22. season — in sport
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. rock — a stone

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