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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. net — after costs
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. perch — the fish
  9. face — to point toward
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. scale — size or range
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. scale — in music
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. face — to confront
  22. bank — for money
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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