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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. lean — thin
  3. court — for sport
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. court — of a king
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. season — in sport
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. kick — in football
  17. perch — the fish
  18. roll — a list
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. court — of law
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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