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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. snap — to click
  3. can — a tin
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. can — a tin
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — low music
  14. bank — of a river
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bass — the fish
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. nail — for a hammer

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