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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. perch — the fish
  3. last — to go on
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bank — of a river
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. lean — to bend
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lean — thin
  11. last — finally
  12. net — for catching
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bank — for money
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — after costs
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. key — in music
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. key — the most important part
  24. last — final

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