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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wax — to grow
  3. craft — boats
  4. mark — a grade
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. craft — a skill
  10. mark — a trace
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bank — for money
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. perch — the fish
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. chip — for betting

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