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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bank — for money
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bank — of a river
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. land — to come down
  14. land — a country
  15. hand — help
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. hand — in cards
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. land — ground
  24. bank — for money

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