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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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. scale — size or range
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. rock — music
  8. bank — for money
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. date — the fruit
  12. bank — for money
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. scale — in music
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — a stone
  21. vault — a safe
  22. bank — of a river
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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