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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bank — for money
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bank — for money
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — a hat
  14. rock — music
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bank — of a river
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. dip — to sink
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rock — a stone
  24. plane — an aircraft

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