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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bank — for money
  4. bass — low music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. shower — rain
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bank — for money
  12. swing — to play on
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bank — of a river
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. perch — the fish
  23. lean — thin
  24. cabinet — ministers

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