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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 116 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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bank — for money
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bank — of a river
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bank — for money
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. club — a group
  12. swing — music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — a subject
  16. swing — in golf
  17. field — for sport
  18. swing — to play on
  19. tear — from crying
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bear — the animal
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — for golf
  24. tear — to rip

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