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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 116 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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bank — of a river
  3. key — the most important part
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. bank — for money
  6. key — for a lock
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rule — government
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. key — in music
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. staff — employees
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bank — for money
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mate — a partner
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — a law

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