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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: pop · rush · hand · present · bank · lean · mate · perch

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bank — for money
  3. pop — soda
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. lean — to bend
  6. pop — to visit
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bank — of a river
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bank — for money
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rush — hurry
  14. present — the time now
  15. pop — music
  16. mate — a friend
  17. hand — help
  18. present — there
  19. perch — the fish
  20. present — a gift
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. lean — thin
  23. mate — to breed
  24. rush — to hurry

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