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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 116 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: perch · race · object · bank · bay · stick · shower · trunk

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. perch — the fish
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — a thing
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. race — humankind
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. race — the arms race
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. shower — to wash
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. shower — rain
  18. bank — of a river
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. race — a contest
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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