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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · spring · row · leaves · bank · firm · track · scale

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. spring — of water
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bank — of a river
  7. firm — steady
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. scale — size or range
  10. track — a song
  11. spring — a coil
  12. scale — in music
  13. bank — for money
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bank — for money
  23. row — a line
  24. pitcher — a jug

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