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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bass — low music
  4. bank — for money
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bank — for money
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bank — of a river
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. last — final
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. last — to go on
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. last — finally
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. perch — the fish
  23. bass — the fish
  24. toast — bread

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