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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bank — for money
  4. spell — a short time
  5. perch — the fish
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cell — a phone
  8. bank — for money
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. can — a tin
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. spell — letters
  14. can — to be able to
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. spell — magic
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. kick — in football
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bank — of a river
  21. foot — a measure
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. can — a tin

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