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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: hide · cabinet · trunk · perch · racket · jam · fork · bank

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. perch — the fish
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bank — for money
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. bank — of a river
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bank — for money
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. cabinet — ministers

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