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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. charge — a price
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bank — for money
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. toast — bread
  7. mine — for digging
  8. scale — in music
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. charge — electricity
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. scale — size or range
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. perch — the fish
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. charge — in control
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bank — of a river
  24. coach — a trainer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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