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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 120 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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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: leaves · ball · arm · bear · lie · last · perch · bank

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. last — finally
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bear — the animal
  6. lie — to recline
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bank — for money
  9. last — to go on
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bear — the animal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bank — for money
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. ball — a great time
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. ball — a dance
  22. last — final
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ball — a round shape

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