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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. field — a subject
  3. prune — to trim
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bank — for money
  6. field — for sport
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bank — for money
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. date — the fruit
  22. field — farmland
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. date — on the calendar

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