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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. game — a match
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bank — for money
  6. perch — the fish
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. game — wild animals
  15. tube — the underground
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bank — of a river
  18. file — a line of people
  19. file — a tool
  20. staff — employees
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. tube — a container
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. file — a document

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