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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. perch — the fish
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. bank — of a river
  6. branch — a division
  7. rock — music
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bank — for money
  12. staff — employees
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bulb — for light
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rock — a stone
  24. lie — to recline

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