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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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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 · perch · bank · rock · wound · firm · race · lie

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — steady
  7. race — humankind
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rock — a stone
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bank — for money
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. race — a contest
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bank — for money
  19. rock — music
  20. race — the arms race
  21. perch — the fish
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. lie — to recline

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