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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bank — of a river
  4. mine — for digging
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. spell — letters
  11. bank — for money
  12. spell — magic
  13. craft — boats
  14. wake — a trail
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. spell — a short time
  17. perch — the fish
  18. wax — to grow
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bank — for money
  24. wax — for sculpting

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