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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cue — a signal
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — to grow
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bank — for money
  7. lie — to recline
  8. land — a country
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — ground
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bank — for money
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. cue — a hint
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. cue — for pool

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