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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: staff · object · sharp · perch · ball · rash · bass · bank

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — the fish
  3. staff — employees
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. sharp — clever
  7. object — a thing
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. object — to protest
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. staff — employees
  15. rash — a series
  16. staff — a stick
  17. rash — hasty
  18. ball — a great time
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. object — an aim
  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