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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pop — to visit
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. pop — music
  6. charge — electricity
  7. rock — a stone
  8. charge — a price
  9. tear — from crying
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bank — for money
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. pop — soda
  14. charge — in control
  15. bank — of a river
  16. tear — to rip
  17. bank — for money
  18. tear — from crying
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — music
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. perch — the fish
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. perch — for a bird

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