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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: last · rash · perch · net · fine · bank · branch · racket

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — all right
  4. last — finally
  5. rash — a series
  6. branch — a division
  7. net — in sport
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. net — after costs
  10. bank — of a river
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. perch — the fish
  15. net — for catching
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bank — for money
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. rash — hasty
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. last — final
  23. last — to go on
  24. perch — for a bird

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