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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. key — for a lock
  5. chair — a leader
  6. present — the time now
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. bank — of a river
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bank — for money
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. present — a gift
  13. key — the most important part
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. mark — a trace
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. present — there
  18. mark — a grade
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. key — in music
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bank — for money
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. chair — a professorship

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