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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 120 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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bank — for money
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rest — a break
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bank — for money
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bank — of a river
  10. craft — boats
  11. drill — army training
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. foot — a measure
  14. chest — of your body
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. drill — a practice
  19. chest — a box
  20. chest — of your body
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. rest — what's left
  23. perch — the fish
  24. rest — what's left

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