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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: present · wave · bank · lean · firm · pound · prune · perch

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. present — there
  3. bank — of a river
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lean — to bend
  8. present — a gift
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bank — for money
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. firm — decided
  15. bank — for money
  16. lean — thin
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. present — the time now
  20. firm — a company
  21. prune — to trim
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. prune — to trim
  24. perch — the fish

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