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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: bark · tube · perch · key · net · pound · stand · bank

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  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. key — for a lock
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. net — after costs
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bank — of a river
  9. tube — the underground
  10. key — in music
  11. net — for catching
  12. bark — to shout
  13. tube — a container
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bank — for money
  18. stand — to bear
  19. net — in sport
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bank — for money
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pound — a weight
  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