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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bank — for money
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. perch — the fish
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. saw — the tool
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. hand — help
  19. bank — for money
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. stem — to come from
  22. hand — in cards
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. plane — a tool

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