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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
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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: deal · hide · perch · pound · bank · current · spell · sharp

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. spell — a short time
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bank — for money
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bank — for money
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. pound — a weight
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. spell — letters
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. current — of water
  20. deal — to handle
  21. spell — magic
  22. bank — of a river
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pound — to hit hard

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