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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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. can — a tin
  5. bank — for money
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. perch — the fish
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mine — for digging
  17. can — to be able to
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. toast — bread
  21. chip — for betting
  22. can — a tin
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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