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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: toast · bank · current · fall · stock · perch · row · staff

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. current — of water
  3. bank — of a river
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bank — for money
  6. stock — goods
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. toast — bread
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stock — shares
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. fall — to drop
  13. current — happening now
  14. perch — the fish
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. staff — a stick
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fall — the season
  19. row — to paddle
  20. staff — employees
  21. bank — for money
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. current — electric
  24. staff — employees

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