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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 116 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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. game — a match
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. saw — the tool
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. face — to point toward
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. face — to confront
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. season — in sport
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — of the year
  14. bear — the animal
  15. face — part of the head
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. game — wild animals
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bear — the animal
  24. perch — the fish

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