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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rest — what's left
  4. cue — for pool
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to drill
  10. net — after costs
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. perch — the fish
  13. bank — for money
  14. rest — what's left
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bank — of a river
  18. cue — a signal
  19. net — in sport
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. net — for catching
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. cue — a hint
  24. rest — a break

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