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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: bank · net · bulb · charge · perch · jam · wound · rest

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rest — a break
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. charge — in control
  9. perch — the fish
  10. net — after costs
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bulb — for light
  17. net — for catching
  18. bulb — for light
  19. net — in sport
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bank — for money
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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