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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. bear — the animal
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bank — for money
  7. rock — music
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bear — the animal
  11. current — electric
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bank — for money
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — of water
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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