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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · bank · perch · foot · race · shower · lie · ruler

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bank — for money
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bank — of a river
  8. race — a contest
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. shower — rain
  18. bank — for money
  19. perch — the fish
  20. race — humankind
  21. shower — to wash
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lie — an untruth
  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