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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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Word bank
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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — for digging
  4. can — a tin
  5. bank — for money
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. craft — a skill
  8. perch — the fish
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bank — of a river
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. can — a tin
  14. ball — a dance
  15. craft — boats
  16. bank — for money
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — a leader
  24. can — to be able to

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