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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — a coil
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stem — to come from
  7. mate — to breed
  8. toast — bread
  9. spring — of water
  10. suit — clothes
  11. squash — the sport
  12. suit — to fit
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. mate — a friend
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. mate — a partner
  19. suit — in cards
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bank — of a river
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. bank — for money
  24. squash — to crush

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