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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. march — the month
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bear — the animal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bound — certain
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. march — the month
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. bound — tied together
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fall — to drop
  22. march — music
  23. perch — the fish
  24. fall — the season

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