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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. roll — a cake
  3. face — to point toward
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. fork — in a road
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. date — the fruit
  9. bank — for money
  10. perch — the fish
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bank — for money
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bank — of a river
  15. roll — a list
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. rest — what's left
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. face — part of the head
  22. rest — a break
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. face — to confront

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