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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 · foot · fan · bound · perch · tear · wave · key

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. tear — to rip
  4. perch — the fish
  5. foot — a measure
  6. key — in music
  7. bound — tied together
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. tear — from crying
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. bound — certain
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. key — for a lock
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. key — the most important part
  22. tear — from crying
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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