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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: lie · season · rest · bat · perch · bulb · bank · saw

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rest — what's left
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rest — a break
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. season — in sport
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bank — for money
  16. season — of the year
  17. lie — to recline
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bat — the animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. season — to add flavour

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