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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 120 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bear — the animal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. season — in sport
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. perch — the fish
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. lie — an untruth
  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