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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: perch · lash · stand · calf · saw · bank · band · cap

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. band — a music group
  5. bank — for money
  6. cap — of ice
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. stand — to bear
  9. saw — the tool
  10. band — a ring
  11. perch — the fish
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. cap — a hat
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. saw — the tool
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bank — of a river
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. cap — a lid
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. bank — for money

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