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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 120 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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. saw — the tool
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. spring — the season
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bear — the animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. spring — of water
  9. branch — a division
  10. current — of water
  11. current — electric
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. suit — in cards
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bear — the animal
  22. current — happening now
  23. spring — a coil
  24. perch — the fish

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