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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bank — for money
  4. fall — the season
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bank — for money
  11. date — the fruit
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. can — to be able to
  14. fall — to drop
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. can — a tin
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bank — of a river
  20. rush — hurry
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. can — a tin
  24. pitch — completely

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