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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: can · scale · rest · wound · bank · racket · perch · bay

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bank — for money
  3. rest — a break
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. can — a tin
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. can — to be able to
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. scale — in music
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bank — for money
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. perch — the fish
  15. scale — size or range
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. can — a tin
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bank — of a river
  22. wound — an injury
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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