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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.

Make a worksheet

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

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. perch — the fish
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. foot — a measure
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. game — wild animals
  9. spring — a coil
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. game — a match
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. spell — letters
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. spring — of water
  18. spell — magic
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. spell — a short time
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. spring — the season

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