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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bank — for money
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bank — of a river
  5. file — a tool
  6. scale — in music
  7. press — to push
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. scale — size or range
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — to rip
  14. bank — for money
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. file — a line of people
  20. file — a document
  21. press — newspapers
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. press — a publisher
  24. perch — for a bird

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