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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 120 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. saw — the tool
  3. fork — in a road
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. rush — hurry
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. swing — in golf
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a hat
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bank — of a river
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bank — for money
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. swing — music
  22. perch — the fish
  23. bank — for money
  24. saw — the tool

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