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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. clip — for paper
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. clip — a video
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bank — for money
  9. stock — shares
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. perch — the fish
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. clip — to cut
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — low music
  20. foot — a measure
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bank — of a river
  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