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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 116 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: content · game · wave · perch · bank · deal · band · bore

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. band — a ring
  3. bank — for money
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bank — of a river
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. game — wild animals
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bank — for money
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. band — a music group
  22. game — a match
  23. bore — to tire
  24. content — videos and posts

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