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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. cold — not warm
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bank — for money
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. suit — in cards
  19. cold — an illness
  20. bank — for money
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. jam — a tight spot

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