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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 120 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 stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mine — for digging
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. perch — the fish
  10. fall — the season
  11. bass — the fish
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bass — low music
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bank — for money
  19. fall — to drop
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. current — of water
  24. calf — a young animal

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