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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. hand — in cards
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. hand — help
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bass — the fish
  12. rash — a series
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bass — low music
  22. perch — the fish
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — hasty

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