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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 120 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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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: perch · nail · stem · straw · fall · present · bank · wave

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. present — there
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bank — for money
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. perch — the fish
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. stem — to come from
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bank — for money
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. present — a gift
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. present — the time now
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bank — of a river

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