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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  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 — the fish
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. game — wild animals
  5. game — a match
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. plane — a tool
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. current — electric
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. current — of water
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. foot — a measure
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. current — happening now
  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