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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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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: deal · craft · pound · racket · fall · bank · perch · ruler

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. fall — the season
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bank — of a river
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bank — for money
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. perch — the fish
  14. fall — to drop
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fall — to drop
  18. craft — boats
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pound — a weight
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bank — for money
  24. craft — a skill

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