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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. track — a path
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bank — for money
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. mate — to breed
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. perch — the fish
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. ball — a dance
  18. track — a song
  19. ball — a great time
  20. mate — a friend
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bat — the animal
  24. perch — for a bird

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