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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.

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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 · bank · lie · wind · rock · rash · suit · wake

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. perch — the fish
  3. rash — a series
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — of a river
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lie — to recline
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rock — music
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. wake — a trail
  18. suit — clothes
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bank — for money
  23. rock — a stone
  24. lie — an untruth

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