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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.

Make a worksheet

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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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: lash · foot · bank · mine · perch · pass · bowl · date

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bank — for money
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. mine — for digging
  8. date — the fruit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bank — of a river
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. foot — a measure
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bank — for money
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. perch — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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