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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. firm — steady
  3. file — a document
  4. bound — obliged
  5. fork — in a road
  6. file — a tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. current — of water
  9. root — of a word
  10. file — a line of people
  11. root — of a plant
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. firm — decided
  14. current — electric
  15. firm — a company
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bank — of a river
  18. current — happening now
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. root — the cause
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — certain
  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