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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: foot · mug · club · perch · bowl · mouse · bank · cold

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bank — of a river
  3. club — for dancing
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. foot — a measure
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bank — for money
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cold — not warm
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. mug — a face
  15. club — a group
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. club — for golf
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bank — for money
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cold — an illness

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