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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: nail · bank · lie · perch · pit · rash · season · bear

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rash — a series
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bank — for money
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. pit — a hole
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. season — of the year
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. season — in sport

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