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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bank — of a river
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. rule — government
  10. clip — to cut
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. clip — a video
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. clip — for paper
  16. bank — for money
  17. lie — to recline
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bank — for money
  21. game — a match
  22. bear — the animal
  23. game — wild animals
  24. rule — a law

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