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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 116 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 owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. perch — the fish
  6. charge — a price
  7. net — in sport
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bank — of a river
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. bank — for money
  14. net — for catching
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bark — to shout
  18. charge — in control
  19. net — after costs
  20. mug — a cup
  21. cell — a phone
  22. bank — for money
  23. mug — a face
  24. charge — electricity

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