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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.

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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: bank · ball · trunk · jam · perch · roll · firm · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. roll — a cake
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. ball — a dance
  15. firm — decided
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bank — for money
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. firm — steady
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. ball — a great time
  23. roll — a list
  24. firm — a company

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