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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. spell — a short time
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. charge — in control
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. saw — the tool
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. spell — letters
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. spell — magic
  15. bank — for money
  16. charge — electricity
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. kick — in football
  19. saw — the tool
  20. charge — a price
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. pit — a hole
  24. temple — a place of worship

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