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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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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: file · snap · fork · wind · lie · bark · perch · bank

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. perch — the fish
  3. snap — to click
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. wind — moving air
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bark — to shout
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. file — a document
  12. file — a line of people
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bank — of a river
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. lie — to recline
  22. fork — in a road
  23. file — a tool
  24. lie — an untruth

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