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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. object — to protest
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — a hat
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bank — of a river
  10. object — a thing
  11. roll — a cake
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. object — an aim
  17. cap — of ice
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. perch — the fish
  21. roll — a list
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. prune — the fruit

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