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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: bat · bank · perch · present · bear · scale · rock · key

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rock — a stone
  3. key — for a lock
  4. present — the time now
  5. bat — the animal
  6. present — there
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. scale — in music
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rock — music
  11. key — in music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. key — the most important part
  14. present — a gift
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bank — for money
  22. bear — the animal
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bank — for money

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