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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 · mug · dip · bark · bore · perch · ground · march

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. bank — for money
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. march — the month
  6. mug — a cup
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — the earth
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bore — to drill
  15. march — the month
  16. bark — to shout
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. perch — the fish
  19. march — music
  20. mug — a face
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bore — to tire
  23. ground — crushed
  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