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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. rash — a series
  7. chip — to eat
  8. dip — to sink
  9. chip — for betting
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. bank — for money
  12. perch — the fish
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rash — hasty
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wax — to grow
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. wind — moving air

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