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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 120 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: mate · drill · bank · fine · perch · stand · can · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. stand — to bear
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bank — of a river
  6. can — to be able to
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bank — for money
  9. can — a tin
  10. mate — a partner
  11. drill — army training
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fine — all right
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. drill — the tool
  16. foot — a measure
  17. fine — high quality
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bank — for money
  20. can — a tin
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. perch — the fish
  24. stand — on your feet

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