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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. season — in sport
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. march — the month
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — of the year
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. march — music
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — to grow
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bank — for money
  21. march — the month
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bank — of a river

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