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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 120 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bank — for money
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bank — for money
  7. club — a group
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. season — of the year
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. fine — all right
  16. season — in sport
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. club — for golf
  20. bank — of a river
  21. club — for dancing
  22. perch — the fish
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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