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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. stock — goods
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bank — for money
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. stock — shares
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bank — of a river
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. lie — to recline
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — a hat
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. cap — of ice
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. lie — an untruth

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