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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 · shower · pop · wax · bass · bank · club · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. shower — rain
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. club — a group
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rock — a stone
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bass — the fish
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — to grow
  14. bass — low music
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. club — for golf
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. shower — to wash
  19. pop — music
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bank — for money
  22. rock — music
  23. bank — for money
  24. pop — soda

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