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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: perch · fine · deal · scale · bank · hide · kid · suit

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. scale — in music
  3. bank — for money
  4. kid — to tease
  5. perch — the fish
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fine — high quality
  9. suit — in cards
  10. kid — child
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. suit — clothes
  18. deal — to handle
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bank — of a river
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. scale — size or range
  23. fine — all right
  24. hide — animal skin

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