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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. perch — the fish
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bank — for money
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bank — of a river
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. band — a music group
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — a friend
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. band — a ring
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. lie — to recline
  17. mate — to breed
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bank — for money
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — for a bird

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