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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. perch — the fish
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to sink
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. staff — a stick
  10. land — a country
  11. scale — size or range
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — tied together
  15. scale — in music
  16. bound — certain
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. staff — employees
  21. land — to come down
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. staff — employees
  24. rush — a thrill

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