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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wave · bank · land · present · ball · coach · perch · rock

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. present — there
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — ground
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. ball — a great time
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. perch — the fish
  15. rock — music
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. present — a gift
  18. land — a country
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bank — for money
  21. present — the time now
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rock — a stone
  24. ball — a dance

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