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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rash — a series
  4. wind — moving air
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bank — of a river
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. pit — in a race
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pit — a hole
  13. rash — hasty
  14. wind — moving air
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bank — for money
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bank — for money
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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