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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. mate — a friend
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bank — for money
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rule — government
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. rule — a law
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bound — obliged
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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