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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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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: perch · rush · pop · fine · squash · bank · scale · current

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. current — of water
  4. pop — to visit
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pop — music
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — electric
  12. squash — the sport
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. scale — in music
  17. bank — of a river
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. scale — size or range
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. rush — hurry
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pop — soda

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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