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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: club · suit · bank · perch · last · wake · wave · scale

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bank — of a river
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. last — to go on
  5. suit — in cards
  6. club — a group
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. scale — in music
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. last — final
  11. club — for golf
  12. bank — for money
  13. scale — size or range
  14. wake — a trail
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bank — for money
  17. last — finally
  18. suit — clothes
  19. perch — the fish
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. club — for dancing
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. wake — before a funeral

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