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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. season — of the year
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lie — to recline
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. clip — a video
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bank — for money
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. clip — for paper
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. perch — the fish
  20. clip — to cut
  21. season — in sport
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rock — a stone

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