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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: scale · snap · bank · staff · perch · pop · shower · rock

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  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. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pop — music
  4. rock — music
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to click
  8. staff — a stick
  9. shower — to wash
  10. rock — a stone
  11. pop — to visit
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. scale — in music
  14. scale — size or range
  15. staff — employees
  16. perch — the fish
  17. shower — rain
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bank — for money
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. pop — soda
  23. staff — employees
  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