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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. perch — the fish
  7. race — the arms race
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. prune — to trim
  13. race — humankind
  14. bound — obliged
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bound — certain
  18. race — a contest
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bank — of a river
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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