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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.

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: racket · can · stick · march · perch · degree · bank · plane

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. degree — an amount
  3. can — a tin
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bank — of a river
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. plane — a tool
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bank — for money
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. march — the month
  17. perch — the fish
  18. march — music
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — from a university
  21. bank — for money
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. march — the month
  24. can — a tin

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