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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: bass · bound · arm · bank · file · perch · mouse · fork

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bank — of a river
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bank — for money
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — tied together
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bass — low music
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bank — for money
  16. fork — in a road
  17. file — a tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bound — certain
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. file — a line of people
  23. file — a document
  24. bass — the instrument

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