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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: face · perch · bank · bore · straw · rash · fan · jam

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  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. straw — a straw man
  2. face — part of the head
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bank — for money
  6. perch — the fish
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — hasty
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. face — to point toward
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bank — for money
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bore — to tire
  18. face — to confront
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bank — of a river
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. rash — a series
  23. jam — a tight spot
  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