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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mate — a friend
  3. pop — to visit
  4. mate — a partner
  5. pop — music
  6. bank — for money
  7. rash — hasty
  8. mate — to breed
  9. pop — soda
  10. bank — for money
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cue — a signal
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rash — a series
  16. rule — government
  17. cue — for pool
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. cue — a hint
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. rule — a law
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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