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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: perch · mark · mate · cabinet · trunk · fine · bank · spell

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bank — for money
  5. spell — letters
  6. bank — of a river
  7. spell — magic
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mate — to breed
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. mate — a friend
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bank — for money
  14. fine — all right
  15. perch — the fish
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. spell — a short time
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mark — a grade
  23. fine — high quality
  24. mate — a partner

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