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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  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. bank — for money
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. lean — thin
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. perch — the fish
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mark — a grade
  18. plane — a tool
  19. vault — a safe
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bank — for money
  22. lean — to bend
  23. plane — an aircraft
  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