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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: perch · wave · rush · hide · mark · wind · firm · bank

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. mark — a trace
  7. firm — a company
  8. firm — steady
  9. bank — of a river
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bank — for money
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bank — for money
  21. mark — a grade
  22. firm — decided
  23. wind — moving air
  24. rush — hurry

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