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

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fine — all right
  5. drill — army training
  6. bank — for money
  7. drill — a practice
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bank — of a river
  12. sharp — clever
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bank — for money
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to point toward
  23. face — to confront
  24. sharp — exactly

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