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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. spring — a coil
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bank — for money
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bank — for money
  7. key — the most important part
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. key — in music
  12. spring — the season
  13. cap — a hat
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. perch — the fish
  16. cap — a lid
  17. key — for a lock
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pass — a permit
  20. spring — of water
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bank — of a river
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. safe — a strongbox

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