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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bank — for money
  4. pop — soda
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bank — for money
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. spring — a coil
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rest — a break
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. rest — what's left
  16. spring — of water
  17. rest — what's left
  18. spring — the season
  19. lean — thin
  20. bank — of a river
  21. lean — to bend
  22. perch — the fish
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. rush — to hurry

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