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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cap — a lid
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. cap — of ice
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pit — a hole
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. kick — in football
  12. pit — in a race
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. spell — magic
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. spell — a short time
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bank — for money
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. spell — letters

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