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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bank — for money
  8. saw — the tool
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. perch — the fish
  11. mine — for digging
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bank — of a river
  14. suit — in cards
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. bank — for money
  20. ball — a great time
  21. suit — to fit
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. saw — the tool
  24. suit — clothes

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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