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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: rock · bank · stock · cap · object · row · perch · club

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — goods
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. stock — shares
  5. cap — a lid
  6. rock — a stone
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. club — for golf
  10. object — to protest
  11. cap — a hat
  12. object — a thing
  13. bank — for money
  14. perch — the fish
  15. row — a line
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rock — music
  18. bank — for money
  19. row — to paddle
  20. bank — of a river
  21. club — for dancing
  22. cap — of ice
  23. object — an aim
  24. club — a group

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