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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — the fish
  10. shower — rain
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mate — to breed
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bank — of a river
  16. shower — to wash
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. deal — to handle
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. mate — a partner
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. ball — a dance

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