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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pass — a permit
  5. race — humankind
  6. bank — of a river
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. band — a ring
  9. bank — for money
  10. perch — the fish
  11. band — a music group
  12. bear — the animal
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bank — for money
  17. race — a contest
  18. bear — the animal
  19. race — the arms race
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. perch — for a bird

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