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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. can — to be able to
  7. net — for catching
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. perch — the fish
  10. net — in sport
  11. bank — for money
  12. can — a tin
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. net — after costs
  16. bank — of a river
  17. press — a publisher
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. press — to push
  23. press — newspapers
  24. bank — for money

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